Mitigating Disease Burden and Healthcare Disparities in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: A Multidisciplinary Task Force Podcast

STATEMENT OF NEED

With the complex and rapidly evolving treatment landscape of multiple myeloma, it is vital that clinicians not only understand factors for informing selection of current and emerging combination and sequential therapeutic strategies, but also employ interdisciplinary strategies for reducing disparities in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma care. The development of novel therapeutic options has significantly improved treatment outcomes for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma; however, many patients face barriers to timely and appropriate treatment, including racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in health care delivery and services. While Black patients with multiple myeloma are more likely to have a lower-risk genetic profile, multiple myeloma remains twice as deadly in Black patients compared with White patients. Both Black and Hispanic patients experience a longer time from diagnosis to novel therapy initiation compared with non-Hispanic White patients, and they are also less likely to receive autologous stem cell transplant. Additionally, Black and Hispanic patients, as well as patients who are older or live in rural areas, are underrepresented in clinical trials of novel therapies, creating a poor reflection of the real-world patient population (Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 2023). In order to provide optimal health care delivery, this Multiple Myeloma Task Force podcast will provide a consensus opinion on mitigating disease burden and health care disparities in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. It features perspectives from Task Force Co-Chairs: Sikander Ailawadhi, MD, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic and Rahul Banerjee, MD, FACP, Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the University of Washington.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Hematology/oncology physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants/associates, oncology nurses, patient advocates, and other health care professionals involved in the management of patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to

• Identify factors that can inform treatment selection for individual patients with RRMM 
• Explain the clinical significance of measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity in the management of MM
• Distinguish current and emerging combination and sequential treatment strategies for MM patients experiencing early relapse and late relapse
• Assess interdisciplinary strategies for reducing disparities in MM care

PROVIDED BY

JOINTLY ACCREDITED PROVIDER

In support of improving patient care, i3 Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

PHYSICIANS

i3 Health designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 0.5 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

By providing this information, participants are agreeing to allow i3 Health to share this information with the ACCME.

Physician Assistants/Associates

i3 Health has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 0.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until 9/10/2025. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. 

Nurse Practitioners

The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME. Individuals are responsible for checking with the AANPCP for further guidelines.

Nursing Continuing Professional Development

A maximum of 0.5 ANCC contact hours may be earned by learners who successfully complete this nursing continuing professional development activity. This activity has been designated for 0.3 ANCC contact hours of pharmacology credit for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 15824, for 0.5 ANCC contact hours. 

ONCC RECERTIFICATION

The program content has been reviewed by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) and is acceptable for recertification points.

ONCC review is only for designating content to be used for recertification points and is not for NCPD accreditation. NCPD programs must be formally approved for contact hours by an acceptable accreditor/approver of NCPD to be used for recertification by ONCC. If the NCPD provider fails to obtain formal approval to award contact hours by an acceptable accrediting/approval body, no information related to ONCC recertification may be used in relation to the program.

OCN®, CPHON®, CBCN®, AOCNP®, AOCNS®, and BMTCN® renewal candidates may apply 0.5 ILNA points toward:

• Care Continuum (OCN®, CBCN®, CPHON®, AOCNP®)
• Oncology Nursing Practice (OCN®)
• Psychosocial Dimensions of Care (AOCNP®, CPHON®, OCN®, CBCN®)
• Symptom Management, Palliative Care, Supportive Care (OCN®, CPHON®, AOCNP®)
• Treatment (OCN®, CBCN®, AOCNP®, CPHON®)

Please note that some of the course content applies to multiple content areas. The numerical value above indicates the maximum amount of points that can be claimed in each domain. The total amount of ILNA points claimed may not exceed the total amount of NCPD awarded from this course.

DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL INFORMATION WITH INELIGIBLE COMPANIES

i3 Health endorses the standards of the ACCME and ANCC that require everyone in a position to control the content of a CME/NCPD activity to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies that are related to the content of the CME/NCPD activity. CME/NCPD activities must be balanced, independent of commercial bias, and promote improvements or quality in health care. All recommendations involving clinical medicine must be based on evidence accepted within the medical profession.

A conflict of interest is created when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME/NCPD content about products or services of an ineligible company with which he/she has a financial relationship, which therefore may bias their opinions and teaching. This may include receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, stocks, or other financial benefits.

i3 Health will identify, review, and mitigate all relevant financial relationships that speakers, authors, or planners disclose prior to an educational activity being delivered to learners. Disclosure of a relationship is not intended to suggest or condone bias in any presentation but is made to provide participants with information that might be of potential importance to their evaluation of a presentation. i3 Health does not endorse any products or services.

Relevant financial relationships exist between the following individuals and ineligible companies:

The i3 Health planners, reviewers, and managers have nothing to disclose.

Sikander Ailawadhi, MD, discloses that he has served as a consultant for BeiGene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cellectar, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, and Takeda, and that he has received grants/research support from AbbVie, Amgen, Ascentage, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cellectar, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Pharmacyclics, and Sanofi.

Rahul Banerjee, MD, FACP, discloses that he has served on an advisory board or panel for Adaptive Biotech, Bristol Myers Squibb, Caribou Biosciences, Genentech/Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Karyopharm, Legend Biotech, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Sanofi, and SparkCures; and that he has received grants/research support from AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Pack Health, Prothena, and Sanofi. 

i3 Health has mitigated all relevant financial relationships.

INSTRUCTIONS TO RECEIVE CREDIT

In order to receive credit for this activity, participants must listen to the podcast and submit a completed evaluation at the end of the activity.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS FOR VIRTUAL CME | NCPD ACTIVITIES

For virtual (asynchronous, archived live, home study; synchronous webinars) CME/NCPD activities, include access to system requirements:

• The Internet browser(s) supported and minimum versions of each required by the learner to complete the online activity.
• The minimum memory, storage, processor, and Internet speeds require by the learner to complete the online activity.

UNAPPROVED USE DISCLOSURE

i3 Health requires CME/NCPD faculty (speakers) to disclose to attendees when products or procedures being discussed are off-label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational (not FDA approved), as well as any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labeling.

This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. If you have questions, contact the medical affairs department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided at this CME/NCPD activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical/clinical judgment of a health care provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.

COMMERCIAL SUPPORT

This activity is supported by an independent medical educational grant from Sanofi.