Holoprosencephaly: When the Brain Does Not Divide

Course overview

This training provides healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and dental professionals, with clinically relevant knowledge and role-specific applications related to recognition, safety management, and coordinated care in holoprosencephaly. Participants will review structural subtype classification, selected endocrine and neurologic considerations, genetic evaluation concepts, and the role of multidisciplinary support in long-term care. The professional practice gap in the management of holoprosencephaly is driven by inconsistent preparedness for prognostic counseling and the under-recognition of subtle endocrine and neurological risks. Many providers lack specialized training in navigating the "non-penetrance" and variable expressivity inherent in HPE-associated genetics, which often leads to inaccurate recurrence-risk counseling. By linking current molecular pathophysiology with structured family-centered support, this activity helps clinicians manage complex comorbidities, coordinate early genetic evaluations, and support more accurate prognostic counseling and coordinated long-term care for families affected by this condition. This activity emphasizes interprofessional collaboration by integrating medication safety, oral health considerations, and team-based care coordination to support safe and effective management of patients with complex neurodevelopmental conditions such as holoprosencephaly.