This CME has expired. The Forum: A Working Group for Women's Healthcare, Vol 4 No 3 New Perspectives on the WHI Vitamin D: The Multifunctional 'Nonvitamin' Seeking Out Relevant Information for Clinical Practice Release Date: November 2006 Expiration Date: November 30, 2008 Faculty: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lee P. Shulman, MD Professor & Chief, Division of Reproductive Genetics Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine EDITORIAL BOARD Sarah L. Berga, MD Emory University School of Medicine James Robert McCord Professor and Chair Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Emory University School of Medicine Ellen Hirschman Miller, MD Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine Vice President of Academic Affairs Franklin Hospital Division of the North Shore – Long Island Jewish Health System Anita L. Nelson, MD Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Medical Director, Women’s Health Care Programs Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Owen P. Phillips, MD Professor & Associate Chair Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology University of Tennessee at Memphis Patricia J. Sulak, MD Professor, Texas A & M College of Medicine Director, Division of Ambulatory Care & Women’s Health Care Research Program Scott & White Hospital Ian H. Thorneycroft, PhD, MD Professor, Department Obstetrics & Gynecology University of South Alabama Bay Area Physicians for Women Carolyn L. Westhoff, MD Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology College of Physicians and Surgeons Professor of Epidemiology and Population & Family Health Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University Susan Wysocki, RNC, NP, FAANP President and CEO National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health Kimberly A. Yonkers, MD Associate Professor Department of Psychiatry Yale School of Medicine Mary C. McMann, MPH Medical Writer/Editor Statement of Need: The outcome of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) hormone trials continues to generate controversy and discussion among researchers and clinicians. Many authorities in the area of postmenopausal hormone therapy have critically examined these trials and their applicability to clinical practice. Vitamin D is a hormone that plays a pivotal role in the body’s normal functioning. The widespread prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency has serious implications for many areas of health, including bone health, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among others. The increasing volume of medical information can be a challenge to clinicians seeking to formulate the optimum approach to treatment. Access to practice guidelines and recommendations developed by credible sources is an important part of any clinical practice. It is vital that clinicians remain current with evolving information on topics such as postmenopausal hormone therapy and vitamin D and that they know how to access information needed to provide optimum care for their patients. Intended Audience: This program has been developed for OB/GYNs, family physicians, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers involved in women’s health. Content: This program provides recommendations and updated information on the WHI hormone trials. It also offers current information about the many functions of vitamin D and information on accessing practice guidelines. Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this newsletter, the participants will be able to: Discuss the limitations of the design of the WHI hormone trials and how they affect application of the WHI results to clinical practice. Describe the formation and functions of vitamin D. Explain how an insufficiency of this vitamin impacts many areas of health. List useful sources of treatment guidelines/recommendations and consumer health information. Accreditation Statement: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of the Dannemiller Memorial Educational Foundation and MedPro Communications, Inc. The Dannemiller Memorial Educational Foundation is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Credit Designation Statement: The Dannemiller Memorial Educational Foundation designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.75 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This activity has been evaluated and approved by the Continuing Education Approval Program of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health for 2.4 contact hours of continuing education credit, including 1.0 contact hour of pharmacology content. Method of Participation: This activity should take approximately 1.75 hours to complete. The participant should, in order, read the objectives, read the online newsletter, take the post-test, complete the registration, and complete the evaluation form. The evaluation form provides each participant the opportunity to comment on the extent to which educational objectives were met, the quality of the instructional process, the perception of enhanced professional effectiveness, the perception of commercial bias, and his or her views on future educational needs. To receive credit for this activity, follow the instructions provided on the post-test. This credit is valid through November 30, 2008. No credit will be given after this date. In the event you are unable to print the certificate, please submit the post-test and then email editor@dannemiller.com and a certificate will be mailed to you within two weeks. If you have questions, you can contact Stephanie Coley at stephaniec@dannemiller.com. Faculty Disclosures: In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Dannemiller Memorial Educational Foundation requires that any person who is in a position to control the content of a CME activity must disclose all relevant financial relationships they have with a commercial interest. Accordingly: Sarah L. Berga, MD reports that she is a speaker for Berlex, Inc. and Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. She is also a consultant and on the advisory board for Berlex, Inc. and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Ellen Hirschman Miller, MD reports that she is a speaker for Berlex, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi-Aventis. She is also a consultant and on the advisory board for GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi-Aventis. Anita L. Nelson, MD reports that she is a speaker for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Berlex, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Barr Laboratories, Organon USA, Inc., and FEI Products, LLC. She is a consultant and on the advisory board for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Berlex, Inc., Barr Laboratories, Church & Dwight, Co., Inc., and Merck & Co., Inc. Owen P. Phillips, MD reports that she is a speaker for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc. Lee P. Shulman, MD reports he is a speaker for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., Berlex, Inc., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche Pharmaceuticals, and Organon USA, Inc. He is a consultant and on the advisory board for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., Berlex, Inc., and Organon USA, Inc. He is also an investigator for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Organon USA, Inc. Patricia J. Sulak, MD reports that she is a speaker for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Berlex, Inc., and Barr Laboratories. She is a consultant and on the advisory board for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Berlex, Inc., and Barr Laboratories. She is also an investigator for Berlex, Inc., and Barr Laboratories. Ian H. Thorneycroft, PhD, MD reports he is a speaker for Berlex, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. He is a consultant and on the advisory board for Berlex, Inc. and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Carolyn L. Westhoff, MD reports that she is a speaker, investigaror, consultant and on the advisory board for Organon USA, Inc. She is a consultant and on the advisory board for Berlex, Inc. and Shering AG. Susan Wysocki, RNC, NP, FAANP reports that she is a speaker for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Organon USA, Inc., and Barr Laboratories. She is a consultant and on the advisory board for Berlex, Inc., Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc. and Barr Laboratories. Kimberly A. Yonkers, MD reports that she is a consultant and on the advisory board for Berlex, Inc., and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. She is also an investigator for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Mary Carole McMann, MPH reports that she is a stockholder for Shering AG. The Dannemiller and MedPro Communications staffs that were involved in the development of this activity have no financial relationships with any commercial interests that are relevant to this activity. To resolve identified conflicts of interest, the educational content was fully peer reviewed by a physician member of the Dannemiller Clinical Content Review Committee who has nothing to disclose. The resulting certified activity was found to provide educational content that is current, evidence-based and commercially balanced. Off-label Discussion: This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings. Further, attendees/participants should appraise the information presented critically and are encouraged to consult appropriate resources for any product or device mentioned in this program. Disclaimer: The content and views presented in this educational activity are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Dannemiller Memorial Educational Foundation, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, Berlex, Inc., or MedPro Communications, Inc. This material is prepared based upon a review of multiple sources of information, but it is not exhaustive of the subject matter. Therefore, healthcare professionals and other individuals should review and consider other publications and materials on the subject matter before relying solely upon the information contained within this educational activity.