Leveraging Genetic Testing to Optimize Early Intervention in SMA & DMD

August 13, 2026

The program is a CE-accredited, virtual, 90-minute live webinar that will be made available on-demand. MDA’s Medical Education Team will host a panel of experts who share up-to-date knowledge, clinical experience, and cutting-edge strategies at their institutions to identify SMA and DMD earlier and intervene sooner toward a common goal of optimizing care. The panel will include specialists who are well-versed in testing needs and coordination of SMA and DMD care. Discussions will include case studies, potential options for therapy based on testing results, and how to help families with care decisions.

Target Audience

The activity is designed for neurologists, neurology fellows, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacist, social workers and other HCP involved in the diagnosis and management of patients with SMA and DMD.

 

Commercial Support

This activity is supported from an independent medical education grant from Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Scholar Rock, Inc and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation .

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Leverage genetic testing, including pre-natal testing and newborn screening, to guide early intervention.
  • Identify emerging strategies to initiate early treatment.
  • Anticipate challenges and nuances in DMD and SMA therapies.

Course summary

Available credit: 
  • 1.50 AANP Contact Hours

    Nurse Practitioners

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Accreditation Standards of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) through the joint providership of AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and MDA.  AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is accredited by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as an approved provider of nurse practitioner continuing education. Provider number: 030803. This activity is approved for 1.50 contact hour(s) (which includes 0.00 hour(s) of pharmacology).

    • 0.00 AANP Pharmacology Contact Hours
  • 1.50 AAPA Category 1 CME

    AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.50 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

  • 1.50 ACPE Pharmacist

    Pharmacists
    AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this continuing education activity for 1.50 contact hours.

  • 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    Physicians
    AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.50 ASWB continuing education credits

    Social Workers
    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. AKH Inc. Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education credits.

  • 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Non-MD

    Non-Physicians Seeking AMA Credit
    AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

     

Course opens: 
08/13/2026
Course expires: 
10/16/2026
Event starts: 
08/13/2026 - 8:00am EDT
Event ends: 
08/13/2026 - 12:03pm EDT
Cost:
$0.00
Add to calendar: 
Rating: 
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Disclosures

It is the policy of AKH Inc. to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of its continuing education activities. The author must disclose to the participants any significant relationships with ineligible companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in the activity or with the commercial supporter of this continuing education activity. Identified conflicts of interest are mitigated by AKH prior to accreditation of the activity. AKH planners and reviewers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

 

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use and Investigational Product

This educational activity may include discussion of uses of agents that are investigational and/or unapproved by the FDA. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

Committee Member, Planner, Staff(s)

Dorothy Duffy, RPh

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.

Bernadette Makar, MSN, APRN-BC, NP-C

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.

Broc Pollinger

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.
Course Director(s)

Kathleen Yoder, PhD

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.
Speaker, Instructor, Faculty(s)

Elicia Estrella, MS, LCGC

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.

Bo Lee, MD

has a financial relationship (Researcher) with Sarepta;.
has a financial relationship (Researcher) with Stoke therapeutics;.
has a financial relationship (Researcher) with Edgewise Therapeutics;.
has a financial relationship (Researcher) with AMO Pharma;.
has a financial relationship (Advisor) with Scholar Rock;.

Megan Waldrop, MD

has a financial relationship (Consultant) with Syneos Health;.
has a financial relationship (Consultant) with Sarepta Therapeutics;.
has a financial relationship (Advisor) with SOLID Biosciences;.
has a financial relationship (Advisor) with Roche Genentech;.
has a financial relationship (Advisor) with GemmaBio;.
has a financial relationship (Researcher) with Sarepta Therapeutics;.
has a financial relationship (Researcher) with Novartis Gene Therapies;.
has a financial relationship (Researcher) with Scholar Rock;.
has a financial relationship (Researcher) with Biohaven;.
has a financial relationship (Advisor) with Sarepta Therapeutics;.

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and MDA. AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare 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.

 

 

This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.5 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.

 

 

 

Available Credit

  • 1.50 AANP Contact Hours

    Nurse Practitioners

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Accreditation Standards of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) through the joint providership of AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and MDA.  AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is accredited by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as an approved provider of nurse practitioner continuing education. Provider number: 030803. This activity is approved for 1.50 contact hour(s) (which includes 0.00 hour(s) of pharmacology).

    • 0.00 AANP Pharmacology Contact Hours
  • 1.50 AAPA Category 1 CME

    AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.50 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

  • 1.50 ACPE Pharmacist

    Pharmacists
    AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this continuing education activity for 1.50 contact hours.

  • 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    Physicians
    AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.50 ASWB continuing education credits

    Social Workers
    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. AKH Inc. Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education credits.

  • 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Non-MD

    Non-Physicians Seeking AMA Credit
    AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

     

Price

Cost:
$0.00
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