Emerging Treatment Strategies for RCC (Module 3)

Program / Course Description

Refractory Chronic Cough (RCC) is a complex condition that remains a significant clinical challenge despite its high prevalence, accounting for up to 40% of pulmonology clinic visits and 16 million outpatient encounters annually. As our understanding of cough neurophysiology evolves, so too does the treatment landscape for RCC. To effectively guide patients through this shifting therapeutic environment, clinicians must be well-versed in the mechanisms of action, receptor targets, safety data, and clinical efficacy of these emerging agents.  

This interactive, case-based educational activity is designed to help clinicians build the knowledge, confidence, and clinical reasoning skills needed to manage RCC with current and upcoming treatment strategies. Learners will explore real-world scenarios that simulate the complexities of RCC diagnosis and treatment. Each case is followed by expert-led commentary, delivered via video and audio segments, offering immediate insights and evidence-based rationale.  

Target Audience

The target audience for this educational initiative will be U.S. based health care professionals who care for patients with RCC, including pulmonologists, primary care providers (family physicians, internists, physician associates, nurse practitioners, and other nursing professionals), and specialists such as allergists, gastroenterologists, ENTs (ear, nose, and throat specialists), and speech pathologists.  

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the learners should be able to:  

  • Summarize the steps in the diagnostic evaluation and overall patient work-up to identify refractory chronic cough (RCC)  
  • Assess how ongoing developments in clinical research may help address current limitations in the management of RCC  

Commercial Support Acknowledgment

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

Copyright Information 

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Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
    The American Thoracic Society designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • 1.00 Participation
Publication Date: 
07/10/2025
Credit Expires: 
07/10/2026
Rating: 
0

Faculty  

Peter Dicpinigaitis, MD  
Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine  
Division of Critical Care Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center  
Montefiore Cough Center  
Bronx, NY  

Disclosures 

GlaxoSmithKline, Hyfe, Merck, Nocion, Trevi | Consultant  


Michael Blaiss, MD  
Clinical Professor  
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University  
Augusta, GA  

Disclosures 

ALK-Abello, Inc, AstraZeneca, Bryn, GlaxoSmithKline, Prollergy, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi  | Consultant


Planning Committee 

Peter Dicpinigaitis, MD  
Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine  
Division of Critical Care Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center  
Montefiore Cough Center  
Bronx, NY  

Disclosures 

GlaxoSmithKline, Hyfe, Merck, Nocion, Trevi | Consultant  


Michael Blaiss, MD  
Clinical Professor  
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University  
Augusta, GA  

Disclosures 

ALK-Abello, Inc, AstraZeneca, Bryn, GlaxoSmithKline, Prollergy, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi  | Consultant  


Matthew Drake, MD, ATSF  
Division Head, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care  
Edwards Professor of Pulmonary Medicine  
Principal Investigator, OHSU Asthma Lab   
Oregon Health & Science University  
Portland, OR  

Disclosures 

AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Sanofi, Trevi  | Consultant  


Anju T. Peters, MD, MSCI  
Professor of Medicine  
Associate Chief of Clinical Research and Practice Innovation  
Division of Allergy and Immunology  
Director, Center for Clinical Research  
Northwestern University Clinical and Translational   
Sciences Institute (NUCATS)  
Medical Director, Northwestern Medicine Clinical Research Unit  
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine  
Chicago, IL  

Disclosures 

AstraZeneca, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, Genzyme  |  Consultant


Rachel M. Taliercio, DO  
Vice Chair - Safety Quality and Patient Experience   
Respiratory Medicine  
Integrated Hospital-Care Institute   
Assistant Professor | CCLCM of CWRU  
Cleveland, OH  

Disclosures 

GlaxoSmithKline  |  Consultant  


Charles Vega, MD, FAAFP   
Clinical Professor, Family Medicine   
Director, UC Irvine Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC), Family Medicine   
Associate Dean UC-Irvine College of Medicine   
Irvine, CA   

Disclosures 

Boehringer Ingelheim, Exact Sciences  |  Consultant  


Anna Goddard, PhD  
Manager of Medical Content
The France Foundation 
Old Lyme, CT 

Disclosures 

Nothing to disclose  


Amanda Noe  
Senior Manager, Medical Education and Client Services 
The France Foundation 
Old Lyme, CT 

Disclosures 

Nothing to disclose  


Erika Fox  
Senior Project Manager 
The France Foundation 
Old Lyme, CT 

Disclosures 

Nothing to disclose  


Patrick Harty, PhD 
Medical Director 
The France Foundation 
Old Lyme, CT 

Disclosures 

Nothing to disclose  


Jennifer Siegel-Gasiewski, MPA 
Director of Lifelong Learning 
American Thoracic Society 
New York, NY 

Disclosures 

Nothing to disclose  


Content Reviewer 

Patrick Harty, PhD  
Medical Director  
The France Foundation 
Old Lyme, CT 

Disclosures 

Nothing to disclose  


It is the policy of the ATS to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of its continuing education activities. As an accredited CME provider, the ATS requires that its planners, reviewers and presenters comply with the ACCME Standards Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.  The ATS also requires specific disclosure of relationships with companies and organizations associated with tobacco or cannabis and prohibits or limits participation of faculty in official ATS activities, including CME, if any tobacco industry relationship or some types of cannabis industry relationships is present. The most recent policies regarding potential conflicts of interest as well as the mechanisms to mitigate or resolve such conflicts can be found here: COI Policy for Official ATS Activities (thoracic.org) 

All relevant financial relationships have been reviewed and mitigated. 


 

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ACCREDITED PROVIDERS   

Provided by the American Thoracic Society   

Accreditation Statement – American Thoracic Society  

The American Thoracic Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.  

Physician Credit Designation (American Thoracic Society)   

The American Thoracic Society designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  

 

American academy of Family Physicians 

The AAFP has reviewed RCC in FOCUS: Addressing the Unmet Needs of Refractory Chronic Cough and deemed it acceptable for AAFP credit.   
Term of approval is from 7/9/2025 to 7/9/2026. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  This session, Emerging Treatment Strategies for RCC, is approved for 1.0 enduring AAFP Elective credits.  

Accreditation Statement- The France Foundation   

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The France Foundation, the American Thoracic Society, and the American Academy of PAs. The France Foundation 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 health care team.  

Nurses (The France Foundation)  

The France Foundation designates this activity for 1.0 contact hours.  

 

Physician Associates 

The France Foundation 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 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until July 7, 2026. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.   

Pharmacists (The France Foundation)  

This knowledge-based activity, UAN JA0007204-0000-25-062-H01-P, qualifies for 1.0 contact hours (0.075 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credit. Please submit all evaluations and credit requests no later than 30 days after you complete this activity to ensure your credit fulfillment, as CE credit cannot be awarded past 60 days from the activity date. Your CE credits will be electronically submitted to the NABP upon successful completion of the activity. Pharmacists with questions can contact NABP customer service ([email protected]).  

All other health care professionals completing this course will be issued a statement of participation.  

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
    The American Thoracic Society designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • 1.00 Participation
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