eThalED Course for Medical Specialists
Introduction:
The eThalED course offers specialised knowledge on the prevention and clinical management of thalassaemia to internationally-located medical specialists who have an interest and/or are involved in these areas. The courses are based on the “Guidelines for the Management of Transfusion-Dependent Thalassaemia (4th edition, 2021)”.
The development of this e-Course falls within TIF’s mission to ensure equal access to quality treatment for all patients around the globe. Furthermore, the contribution of the course is deemed particularly important given the constant migration fluxes that have been taking place in the last years, whereby populations from Africa and Asia, two continents that have traditionally been highly prevalent in thalassaemia and other haemoglobin disorders, migrate to Europe due to war and other local circumstances and inevitably contribute to marking a significant increase in the number of carriers (of the gene that causes the haemoglobin disorder) and/or affected individuals (people with the disorder) around the globe. In this context, haemoglobin disorders or haemoglobinopathies indeed constitute a global concern that calls for the establishment of robust public health policies on prevention, the promotion of specialized knowledge and multidisciplinary healthcare services for effectively managing the clinical challenges of this group of disorders and ensuring a quality life for patients.
The eThalED Course focuses on β-thalassaemia, the most severe form of thalassaemia. A distinguishing feature is its emphasis on the patients’ perspective with regards to prevention and treatment of thalassaemia, which offers valuable insights on the importance of timely and comprehensive genetic counselling, the importance of maximising patient adherence to treatment and other key aspects involved in the changing doctor-patient relationship that favours strong patient participation in all aspects of their treatment.
The eThalED Course is offered in the English, French and Arabic language.
Read the eThalED leaflet (EN)
Aims and objectives:
- To offer specialized knowledge of thalassaemia epidemiology, inheritance and prevention, pathophysiology, diagnosis and associated complications.
- To assist medical specialists in dealing with the complexity of the disease
- To assist in the improvement of existing conditions and services for quality clinical management and support for people with thalassaemia.
Requirements for participation:
- Medical degree and specialisation in Internal Medicine, or Paediatrics, Haematology
- Previous experience in the treatment of Haemoglobinopathies will be preferred
Contents:
The eThalED programme for Medical Specialists is comprised of 2 electronic courses covering in-depth key issues related to thalassaemia prevention and clinical management.
The aim of the two courses is to strengthen medical specialists’ knowledge of thalassaemia, introduce the patients’ perspective with regards to the various complex aspects of thalassaemia, and equip them with the necessary tools to seek further development.
Course 1: Prevention |
Course 2: Clinical management |
| Why prevention | Introduction to thalassaemia: genetic basis, pathophysiology and diagnosis |
| The Epidemiology of Thalassaemia | Blood transfusions |
| Prevention Strategies | Iron overload and chelation |
| Practical aspects of effective prevention programmes- Screening | Cardiac complications |
| Ethical and legal issues | Liver and spleen |
| Course Certificate | Infections |
| Endocrine disorders and osteoporosis | |
| Fertility and pregnancy | |
| Thalassaemia emergencies | |
| Psychosocial support and lifestyle in thalassaemia | |
| Thalassaemia treatment: Alternative and new approaches | |
| Organization of thalassaemia care | |
| Case Studies | |
| Webinars | |
| Additional Resources | |
| Course Certificate |
Registration:
You may access the course material by easily creating an account on TIF e-Academy.
Certificates:
A certificate will be given at the end of each module to the medical specialists who complete the pre-test (regardless of grade), review all the module content and pass the post-test (100% grade). Medical specialists can opt for any one or more particular modules e.g., Hepatology, Endocrinology, and/ or Cardiology, in which case they will be able to download only the certificate of the module they completed.
NB: This certificate does not equal or replace any university medical specialization or expertise.
Forum:
There is a dedicated forum (discussion board) attached to each one of the two courses. You can use these forums to discuss with other participants (medical specialists from around the globe) and TIF on the content of these courses or any other issues related to your practice.
To do so, you need to: (1) Add a new thread, (2) Name it after the topic of your discussion; and (3) Type in your questions, thoughts, observations, experiences.
Cost:
The course is offered free of charge to interested medical specialists worldwide.
Related:
TIF also offers an electronic course on thalassaemia for patients at https://thalassaemia.org.cy/platform-patients/ and an electronic course on sickle cell disease for healthcare professionals at https://thalassaemia.org.cy/what-we-do/education/e-academy/scd-hcps/, along with a series of publications to assist your efforts.