In addition to the 23.7 million Americans with diabetes, 57 million are estimated to have pre-diabetes. Since approximately 25% of kidney transplant recipients have a history of type 2 diabetes, the prospect of an escalating number of renal transplantations appears to be a foregone conclusion. There is an urgent need for effective strategies to improve long-term allograft and recipient survival.

Factors that negatively impact long-term survival include cardiovascular disease, malignancy, allograft nephropathy, and infection. Effective management requires juggling a fine balance between immunosuppressive efficacy and toxicity, quantified by host rejection, peripheral toxicities and untoward consequences. Despite the increasing number of therapeutic options available, the preferred pharmacotherapeutic approach to achieve this balance is still being investigated. The clinician is now faced with the challenge of evaluating a variety of immunosuppressive approaches that utilize drug minimization, drug elimination, drug avoidance, and drug substitution/conversion.

This program will examine current causes for chronic allograft pathology and approaches to minimize allograft nephropathy through optimal use of immunosuppressive regimens. The ultimate goal of this educational initiative is the clinical application of program content to provide individualized care to solid organ transplant recipients, extending recipient and allograft survival while reducing morbidity.

There is no fee to participate in this activity.

This program is intended for transplant surgeons, nephrologists, urologists, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care practitioners involved in the care of renal transplant recipients.

PHYSICIANS
SCEPTER designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Estimated time to complete this activity: 2.5 hours.

NURSES
This educational activity for 2.5 contact hours is provided by Global Education Group.

PHARMACISTS
Global Education Group designates this continuing education activity for 2.5 contact hours ( 2.5 CEUs) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. (Universal Program Number 0530-9999-09-027- L01-P)

PHYSICIANS
SCEPTER is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education (CME) for physicians..

NURSES
Global Education Group is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Colorado Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

PHARMACISTS
Global Education Group is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

SCEPTER and Quintiles Medical Education adhere to the ACCME Essential Areas and Policies, including the Standards for Commercial Support, regarding industry support of CME. Disclosure information is provided during the planning process to ensure resolution of any identified conflicts. Disclosure of faculty and commercial relationships, as well as the discussion of unlabeled or unapproved use of any drug, device, or procedure by the faculty, will be disclosed to learners.

SCEPTER fully intends to comply with the legal requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act. If any participant in this activity is in need of special accommodations, please contact Edward Lopez at 1-914-829-4168 at least 1 week prior to the activity.