WEBINAR: Why Tick Season Isn’t the Only Time to Focus on Alpha-gal Syndrome
An expert discussion of the origins, prevalence, and diagnostics for Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a red-meat allergy caused by tick bites.
Thursday, January 30, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. ET
Please join us at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 30, for an in-depth webinar on Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a red-meat allergy caused by tick bites. Our expert speakers, Scott Commins, MD, PhD, and Gary Falcetano, PA-C, AE-C, will discuss Alpha-gal syndrome’s origins, increasing prevalence, and reasons for frequent underdiagnosis. Prepare your diagnostic questions and register today to participate. Registrants will receive an optional survey to complete in advance of the event.
This webinar is supported by Thermo Fisher Scientific.
About the Speakers
Scott Commins, MD, PhD
Dr. Scott Commins is the William J. Yount, MD Distinguished Professor at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he is a member of the UNC Food Allergy Initiative, the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, and the Southeastern Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Diseases. Dr. Commins maintains an active clinical practice and research program related to the alpha-gal mammalian meat allergy syndrome, eosinophilic esophagitis, venom allergy, and the human immune response to tick bites.
Dr. Commins received his MD and PhD (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Following a residency in Internal Medicine, Scott completed a fellowship in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is an author for UpToDate (food allergy in adults; allergy to meats), and serves as the Chief Editor for the Drug, Venom & Anaphylaxis section of Frontiers. Dr. Commins is the immediate past-president of the Southeastern Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology Society, and was a member of the Congressionally appointed Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (2018-2020), where he was co-chair of the Alpha-gal syndrome and public comment subcommittee.
Gary Falcetano, PA-C, AE-C
Gary Falcetano, PA-C, is a seasoned clinician, medical publisher, and medical communications professional. Gary has been involved in healthcare all of his adult life, first as an EMS professional, paramedic and then hospital department administrator and educator. Returning to physician assistant school he graduated with high honors from the Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and fulfilled a lifelong ambition to practice emergency medicine and primary care in rural and remote areas of our country. After graduation, he lived in both urban and remote areas from Northern Maine to Southern Georgia. Gary practiced in rural ERs as the sole provider and also in inner city ERs in Philadelphia and New Jersey. Gary also served as a Captain in U.S. Army Reserve, where he practiced in the ER/Urgent Care Center at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, as the medical provider in charge.
He has been in the medical publishing and education arena for over 20 years fulfilling various positions from account manager to group publisher. He is also an entrepreneur who has also founded several medical communications companies. In addition, he previously served as an intermittent federal employee for the department of Health and Human Services serving with the New Jersey-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (NJ-1 DMAT.)
Gary is currently the Scientific Affairs Manager—Allergy with the Immunodiagnostics Division of Thermo Fisher Scientific. He provides educational programs in asthma, allergy and autoimmune disorders for both primary care and specialty clinicians, directs U.S. research efforts, and is a Certified Asthma Educator. He was elected to the National Asthma Education Certification Board (NACEB) in 2018 and served on their examination, financial, public relations, and bylaws subcommittees.