_OnDemandwithModule-basedContent-888_20220623_Standards-for-Integrity-and-Independence

888_20220623_Standards-for-Integrity-and-Independence_Info-Package-for-JA-Providers

Pdf Summary

The document outlines the "Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education," published in December 2020 by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). These standards aim to maintain the integrity and independence of accredited continuing education across various health professions by preventing commercial bias and influence from the industry.<br /><br />Key objectives include ensuring education serves patient needs, providing scientifically valid content, and maintaining clear boundaries between education and marketing. The document specifies that accredited providers must ensure all educational content is evidence-based and free from commercial interest influence. Key updates include extending the disclosure period for financial relationships from 12 to 24 months, removing the requirement to disclose relationships of spouses/partners, and clarifying the management of commercial support and ancillary activities.<br /><br />Accredited organizations must exclude individuals with unresolvable financial conflicts from participating in content control unless specific exceptions apply. Providers must disclose relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies and outline how these relationships are mitigated to learners. Provisions for managing commercial support necessitate documented agreements outlining the terms of financial contributions and ensuring such support does not influence educational content. Moreover, marketing and nonaccredited activities must be distinct from accredited education, with clear separations in timing and space during live events.<br /><br />The standards introduce terms like "eligible organizations," "ineligible companies," and "mitigate," reflecting the shift from resolving to mitigating conflicts of interest. The ACCME requires compliance with these new standards by January 1, 2022, offering resources to aid in the transition. These changes strive to safeguard the educational environment, ensuring it remains a trusted source of independent knowledge for healthcare professionals.

Keywords

ACCME

integrity

independence

continuing education

commercial bias

financial relationships

evidence-based content

conflict of interest

commercial support

healthcare education

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