Approximately 80% of patients with schizophrenia will relapse within 5 years of first episode in the absence of appropriate treatment. Antipsychotics are highly effective in the prevention of relapse in remitted first-episode patients, with 1-year relapse risk varying from 0% to 46%. Many experts are now in favor of continuous use of antipsychotics for patients who have had multiple episodes of schizophrenia, although the recommendation remains controversial. Long-term use of antipsychotics may cause adverse effects that interfere with drug adherence and affect social adjustment. Thus, it is paramount to identify appropriate pharmacotherapy and nonpharmacological options for long-term maintenance of schizophrenia.

This psychLINK™ program will update clinicians on the latest available evidence-based studies and guidelines regarding maintenance therapy for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, with the goal of achieving full remission and significantly reducing relapse rates.

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

• Indicate the relapse and rehospitalization rates that typically occur during the maintenance phase of schizophrenia treatment
• Identify comprehensive rehabilitation strategies to prevent relapse, including long-acting, injectable medications and psychosocial rehabilitation
• Communicate effectively with patients regarding the need for and duration of maintenance phase treatment

Moderator and Content Developer:
John Kane, MD
Chairman, Department of Psychiatry,
The Zucker Hillside Hospital;
Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neuroscience,
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Donald C. Goff, MD
Director,
Schizophrenia Program,
Massachusetts General Hospital;
Associate Professor of Psychiatry,
Harvard Medical School

John Lauriello, MD
Professor, Vice Chair, and Executive Medical Director,
University of New Mexico Psychiatric Center,
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

It is the policy of The Chatham Institute to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its educational programs. All faculty, planners, and managers who affect the content of medical education activities sponsored by The Chatham Institute are required to disclose to the audience any real or apparent conflict of interest related to the activity. Faculty, planners, and managers not complying with the disclosure policy will not be permitted to participate in this activity. Independent peer reviewers have nothing to disclose. Disclosure information is provided below.

John Kane, MD
Dr. Kane is a consultant for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Cephalon, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Pfizer Inc, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, and is on the speaker bureaus of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, and Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Donald C. Goff, MD
Dr. Goff is an advisory board member of Forest Laboratories, Inc., Organon USA Inc., Vanda Pharmaceuticals, and Xytis Inc.; has received grant/research support from Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer Inc; and is a DSMB member for Pfizer Inc and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

John Lauriello, MD
Dr. Lauriello is an advisory board member of Eli Lilly and Company; a consultant for Eli Lilly and Company and Vanda Pharmaceuticals; and has received grant/research support from Eli Lilly and Company and Pfizer Inc.

William Glazer, MD
Medical Director, Psychiatry, The Chatham Institute
No real or apparent relationships to disclose.

Bagirathy Ravishankar, PhD
Scientific Director, The Chatham Institute
No real or apparent relationships to disclose.

Daniel Duch, PhD
Medical Director, The Chatham Institute
No real or apparent relationships to disclose.

CE/CME Credit Instructions and Accreditation Information: Successful completion of this CE/CME activity includes the following:

• Viewing (or listening to) the presentation and reviewing the course materials
• Completing the appropriate CE/CME application and activity evaluation form
• Scoring 70% or above on the posttest

Participants may print a statement of credit online after successful completion of the activity, or they may mail the completed materials (if mailed, please allow 6-8 weeks for processing).

Physicians: The Chatham Institute is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Chatham Institute designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses: The Chatham Institute LLC is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC’s) Commission on Accreditation, provider number P175-11/2006-2009.

The Chatham Institute LLC is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (CBRN), provider number CEP 12433.

This activity is approved for 1.0 contact hour.

Disclaimer: Accreditation refers to educational content only and does not imply endorsement of products by NJSNA, ANCC, CBRN, or The Chatham Institute LLC.

Pharmacists: The Chatham Institute is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This program is approved for 1.0 contact hour (0.10 CEUs) of continuing education for pharmacists.

ACPE Universal Program Number:
812-000-08-021-H01-P (recorded activity)
Recorded activity expires November 19, 2009

This activity is sponsored by The Chatham Institute and supported by an educational grant from Janssen