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Responsible Logo Use Guidelines

Recently, the ACCME's Board of Directors decided to defer adoption of changes to the Standards for Commercial Support to prohibit the use of commercial interest logos in the acknowledgment of commercial support. The CME Coalition applauds the Board’s decision to defer these changes, and continues to maintain that the appropriate use of corporate logos provides transparency and disclosure to learners on educational grants obtained from commercial interest in support of an educational activity.

The CME Coalition's voluntary industry guidelines for responsible logo use are intended to offer a best practices code of conduct for the responsible use of logos at accredited CME events. A list of organizations that have pledged to adopt these voluntary guidelines is available here.

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What is CME?

Continuing medical education (CME) refers to a range of educational programs provided by trained professionals that helps health care providers to maintain their competence and to learn about new technologies, procedures and developing areas of their field. Content for these programs is developed, reviewed, and delivered by faculty who are experts in their individual clinical areas. Similar to the process used in academic journals, any potentially conflicting financial relationships for faculty members must be disclosed and addressed appropriately. The CME Coalition is a collection of health care providers, companies, institutions and academics committed to the pursuit of sensible policies designed to promote responsible CME.

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Our Members

CME Incite is a non-accredited medical education company, specializing in the integration of adult learning principles and clinical data. CME Incite's activities are designed to provide clinicians with clear, actionable strategies that can be implemented directly into clinical practice. Their Medical Affairs department features a team of physicians and PhDs dedicated to improving patient outcomes, with extensive experience collaborating with the leading medical experts to translate data into clinical practice.

Horizon Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company, provides Medical Education Grants in support of specific educational activities for health care professionals and consumers to provide for better management of chronic conditions and patient safety. Horizon Pharma supports innovative, high-quality, educational activities, sponsorships, etc, for health care professionals and consumers that target unmet needs, foster clinical excellence and impact areas of concern for consumers and health care professionals.

Educational Concepts Group specializes in continuing education programs for oncology and hematology professionals. Since 2003, ECG has been one of the leading medical education providers in the United States, delivering instructive programs in a variety of formats targeted toward healthcare professionals who are charged with treating patients with solid tumors or hematologic disorders and malignancies.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries is a leading global pharmaceutical company, committed to increasing access to high-quality healthcare by developing, producing and marketing affordable generic drugs as well as innovative and specialty pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Teva is the world's largest generic drug maker, with a global product portfolio of more than 1,300 molecules and a direct presence in about 60 countries.

Founded over a decade ago as a technology company focused on data collection and management in the healthcare industry, Educational Measures was created to meet a need in the marketplace; the need to effectively deliver content and collect outcomes data to improve physician performance and ultimately patient care. Using their background in technology and education, the founders built a company based on cutting edge technology, innovative thinking and superior customer service.

Forest Laboratories is a pharmaceutical company with well-established franchises in multiple therapeutic areas, exploring new product opportunities that address a range of health conditions. Forest identifies, develops, and delivers pharmaceutical products that make a difference in people's lives. Forest credits their success to innovation, integrity, and a commitment to developing important products.

The mission of Creative Educational Concepts, Inc. (CEC) is to enhance healthcare through the provision of safe, high quality, comprehensive, life-long learning opportunities presented by and for the healthcare team of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals. CEC offers practicing clinicians an opportunity to maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills; moreover, their professional practice, competence, and performance.

Astellas Pharma is a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. Atellas commitment to changing tomorrow is measured not only by afocus on bringing innovative and effective new medicines to patients and physicians, but also by an emphasis on the impact that can be made within the communities where we work and live.

The North American Center for Continuing Medical Education (NACCME) is committed to developing and disseminating CME activities to provide an educational forum through which healthcare practitioners may examine current medical issues, therapies, and technologies. The content of NACCME-sponsored CME activities is designed to bridge the gap between current and best healthcare practices and to improve healthcare quality by strengthening practitioner awareness of evidence-based patient care advances in a broad range of therapeutic areas.

Sanofi, a diversified global healthcare leader, discovers, develops, and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi works to prevent and treat the diseases that we know of today, as well as those we may face tomorrow. With nearly 100,000 dedicated professionals in more than 100 countries, Sanofi is devoted to advancing healthcare around the world.

Since 2003, Global has tapped the power of partnership. Our strategic alliances with more than 20 academic centers, professional societies, and others ensure independence, performance, and continuous improvement for learners. Our staff includes experts in accreditation and regulatory guidelines, adult learning and outcomes, medicine, meeting planning, and project management.

Vindico Medical Education is solely dedicated to delivering the highest quality and immediately relevant educational programs. These activities provide health care professionals with information on clinical advances they need to better treat their patients. Vindico delivers the highest quality and relevant educational programs and activities to physicians and other health care providers, with the ultimate goal of improving patient health.

Research To Practice (RTP) is a medical education company based in Miami, Florida specializing in physician and allied health professional education focused exclusively on oncology and hematology. All of RTP’s CME activities help bridge the gap between research and patient care and assist practitioners in clinical decision-making by providing ongoing access to the opinions and perspectives of internationally recognized cancer clinical investigators.

CPEA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to being the forum for bringing clinical practitioners and patients together. With education, information, and collaboration networks, CPEA helps healthcare practitioners and patients build bridges in several therapeutic Communities of Care.

The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) delivers effective continuing medical education activities that are designed to contribute to the professional development of physicians, as well as other healthcare professionals, support their lifelong learning process and positively impact the delivery of care. PIM fulfills this mission by forming successful alliances and working in collaboration with carefully vetted education partners to deliver learning experiences that address the educational needs underlying the identified professional practice gaps of their learners.

The Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. is a nonprofit organization with an international membership of 2,500 health professionals, lay members of the community, corporate members, and institutional members. The ABC is dedicated to eliminating the disparities related to cardiovascular disease in all people of color. The Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).

Celgene is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to improving the lives of patients worldwide. Celgene's mission is to build a major global biopharmaceutical corporation while focusing on the discovery, the development, and the commercialization of products for the treatment of cancer and other severe, immune, inflammatory conditions.

HealthmattersCME is a minority-owned and operated, full-service medical education/communications company. They provide unique and customized CME/CE-certified programming for health care professionals supported by unrestricted educational grants from the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industries.

Rockpointe is a science-based medical communications company whose clinical specialists, educators, and producers collaborate with national thought leaders to create integrated educational initiatives that are innovative, engaging, and clinically relevant.

The National Association of Medical Education Companies, Inc., (NAMEC) is a professional association dedicated to providing representation, advocacy, and education for its members. In the past, there has been no organized voice for medical education and communications companies (MECCs). In the ever-changing and complicated medical education and communications environment, NAMEC functions as a representative and advocate of the industry.

SECO International, LLC, is a wholly owned entity of the Southern Council of Optometrists, Inc. (SoCO), and is the business name used to identify the annual Congress hosted and organized by SoCO each year in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. SECO International is dedicated to returning to the optometry profession what so many volunteers and members have given to creating what is now an internationally renowned educational event and one of the largest optometry meetings in the world.

AstraZeneca is a global innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription medicines that make a meaningful difference in healthcare. AstraZeneca focuses primarily on cancer, cardiovascular / metabolic disease and respiratory / inflammation / autoimmunity. Alongside this, they remain active in infection and neuroscience with targeted investments in opportunities and collaborations.

Clinical Care Options (CCO) creates innovative, interactive continuing medical education programs that anticipate and meet the needs of healthcare professionals. CCO's expertise in CME, technology solutions, and clinical knowledge allows it to rapidly deliver the highest quality content simultaneously online, in print, and at live meetings, in the service of improving patient care.

Medscape Education targets and engages members across 33 healthcare specialties, and combines proprietary technology, instructional expertise, and measureable impact to accelerate the adoption of scientific advances into practice. Medscape Education continually innovates to better address clinician needs in order to improve the care and outcomes of patients. Medscape, LLC is ACCME-, ANCC-, and ACPE-accredited, and a leading online provider of continuing professional education.

Sunshine Act Resources Center

On Friday, February 1, CMS announced the final regulations to implement the Sunshine Act. Considering the challenge that many stakeholders face in complying with the final rule, the CME Coalition published a comprehensive Sunshine Act Compliance Guide (and supplemental FAQs) to provide commercial supporters, CME providers, and CME event participants with clear rules for ensuring compliance with the Sunshine Act.

On, July 2, CMS pubished new guidance in the form of a frequently asked questions document, which provides clarity to several issues in the Sunshine Act raised by the CME Coalition in meetings with the agency.

Weekly Healthcare Update for April 14, 2014

Weekly Recap

Last Thursday, the House approved Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s fiscal 2015 budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 96) in a 219-205 vote. The plan would balance the budget in 10 years by making $5 trillion in spending cuts. It would make steep cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, while converting Medicare to an optional private system for future seniors. It would also repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but incorporates $700 billion in Medicare savings and $1 trillion in revenues generated under the health law. No Democrats voted for the budget, which stands little chance of floor consideration in the Senate. Final passage of the Ryan plan came after the House rejected a Democratic alternative 163-261 and a budget from the Republican Study Committee 133-291. The House also voted 2-413 to reject an alternative based on President Obama's fiscal 2015 spending blueprint.

Weekly Healthcare Update for April 7, 2014

Weekly Recap

Last week saw the Senate approve a ‘doc fix’ bill (H.R. 4302), to prevent a 24 percent cut to Medicare doctors that was scheduled to take effect April 1. Members approved the measure 64-35, with four votes more than the sixty votes needed for passage. Senate passage sent the measure to President Obama for his signature. Last month, House and Senate leaders had agreed on a bipartisan SGR reform deal, but were unable to resolve how to pay for its cost.

The Senate also approved three executive branch nominations and moved towards passage of a five-month extension to long-term unemployment benefits. Last Thursday, the Senate voted 61-35 to end debate on the unemployment insurance extension bill (H.R. 2149), setting up a final passage vote this week. While Senate passage could put pressure on the House to take action, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has said he wouldn’t consider the Senate deal because it doesn’t include job-creating measures.