ACCP’s Practice and Research Networks provide tailored education and networking opportunities in a variety of therapeutic and non-therapeutic areas of interest. At the 2010 Spring Practice and Research Forum and Updates in Therapeutics: The Pharmacotherapy Preparatory Course, the PRNs will present the focus sessions they developed, designed to meet the needs expressed by PRN members.

Focus sessions begin on Saturday morning, with the Women’s Health PRN looking at several ongoing concerns and treatment options in a variety of women’s health topics, including mental health issues in peri- and postmenopausal years, sex disparities in hypertension, and hormone replacement therapy and non-hormonal therapy for menopausal management. Sunday afternoon, the Adult Medicine PRN will review the evidence for antithrombotic controversies in medicine. Faculty will discuss the pharmacotherapeutic management of patients receiving proton pump inhibitors and clopidogrel and the cardiovascular risks associated with the CYP interaction between omeprazole and clopidogrel, as well as antithrombotic therapy for patients with heart failure.

The Drug Information PRN focus session on Tuesday morning will look at the changing role of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising and counter-detailing. Recent changes in the PhRMA guidelines and the ways in which they affect DTC advertising, as well as future DTC advertising applications, will be discussed. Faculty will review the evidence on the effectiveness of counter-detailing and ways to develop an effective counter-detailing program. Later Tuesday morning, the Infectious Diseases PRN and the Clinical Administration PRN will jointly present a program on antimicrobial stewardship programs, including how to establish best practices within such programs. From the justification of a stewardship program to the metrics involved in measuring its success, faculty will provide participants with resources to implement a successful antimicrobial stewardship program. The final focus session on Tuesday will be presented by members of the Ambulatory Care PRN and the Nephrology PRN. This session will delve into new developments in vitamin D therapy, including deficiency and supplementation, and its role in the treatment of various disease states, such as chronic kidney disease. Faculty will also explore the emerging role of vitamin D in ambulatory care practice, including treatment of cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and psoriasis.

For detailed focus session agendas, including program faculty and learning objectives, visit the Web site at www.accp.com/sf. In addition to PRN focus sessions, plan to take part in the many PRN business meetings and networking forums that will be held in Charlotte. PRNs will host these reception-style events Saturday afternoon, Sunday evening, and Monday afternoon. You do not have to be a PRN member to participate in these events—simply stop by and mingle with colleagues in your shared area of interest.

For more information on the ACCP PRNs, visit www.accp.com/about/prns.aspx. For more information about the Spring Practice and Research Forum, including online registration and hotel reservations, visit www.accp.com/sf. Register early for maximum savings—the early registration deadline is March 12, 2010.