Conflict of Interest Resolution
CMEsolutions' Policy on Resolving Conflict of Interest includes the following components:
Faculty Letter of Agreement - Outlines the faculty roles/responsibilities relating to the activity, honoraria, and compliance.
Faculty Disclosure Form - Completed and signed full disclosure forms are required from everyone in a position to control the content of a CE activity, i.e. planning committee members, program directors, faculty, and medical editors. Refusal to disclose relevant financial relationships will disqualify the individual from any involvement in the activity.
Disclosures relevant to potential commercial bias - CMEsolutions will disclose to learners any relevant financial relationship including:
• The name of the individual
• The name of the commercial interest
• The nature of the relationship the person has with each commercial interest
Off-Label Discussions - Full disclosure is made by CMEsolutions pertaining to any off-label discussions in its activities. For live meetings, disclosure is made at the beginning of the presentation. For enduring materials, CMEsolutions discloses any off-label discussions in the beginning of the program syllabus.
Approach to ensure fair balance and scientific rigor - Anyone in a position to control content is given written and oral directions as to CMEsolutions' policies on fair balance and scientific rigor. Written agreements are signed by these individuals indicating their understanding of the policies. CMEsolutions requires generic names be used or if product names must be given, all product names in that group of agents shall be given equal treatment.
In addition we take the following steps to detect and prevent the presence of any bias:
Peer review of all proposed presentation materials is conducted by a medical expert who has no conflict of interest in the content
Discussion of CMEsolutions' policies, ACCME and ACPE Commercial Support Guidelines with all faculty/editors/authors
Documentation of faculty/editors/authors' agreement with guidelines
Audio or print record of disclosures
If faculty is found to be in violation of guidelines, CMEsolutions may exclude this faculty from future activities