The CME Coalition submitted comments this week to Maine’s Board of Pharmacy, calling on it to revisit its proposed rule to limit honoraria for physicians participating in CME activities to $250 per calendar year. The Board’s proposal implements a state law that prohibits industry gifts to physicians and establishes certain exemptions, such as the $250 exemption for payments for physicians sharing medical knowledge with their peers. That exemption does not allow for physicians to be adequately compensated for their time and expertise, which would lead to fewer knowledgeable doctors being willing to speak at CME programs. 

The CME Coalition recently submitted the attached comments on the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Commercial Support (SCS) process. The Standards for Commercial Support are designed to ensure that CME activities are independent and free of commercial bias. All accredited CME providers in the ACCME System are responsible for complying with the Standards for Commercial Support and the policies that supplement the Standards.

​​The CME Coalition applauds U.S. Representatives Phil Roe (R-TN), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Andy Harris (R-MD), and Ami Bera (D-CA) for their introduction of a congressional resolution expressing support for the need to expand training for physicians on opioid prescribing. These four key Members of Congress — all physicians in their own right — have recognized the role of CME in the professional development of America’s physician workforce. 

​Last week, a report was released by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) that includes two recommendations directly impacting CME activities. While we are still analyzing its recommendations, we wish to draw your attention to pages 18 & 19, which, among other things, call for greater coordination with CME providers to develop clinical activities to improve skills and complete board certification.

The CME Coalition has submitted comments to CMS regarding Open Payment’s impact on CME, including the impact on the distribution of journal reprints and medical texts. As the letter explains, “upon publication of the rule in 2016 there was a significant pause in funding for accredited CME as commercial supporters tried to assess the interaction of the rule and its sub-regulatory guidance.” The letter goes on to note that while a majority of stakeholders have interpreted the FAQs to exclude most independent, accredited CME activities from the definition of “payment,” the Coalition remains concerned that “if CMS were to ever make changes to the rule or FAQs to require reporting for independent CME, we would see significant reductions in both funding of and participation in accredited CME programs.”  Further, the letter details the extensive barriers preventing the slightest industry influence from entering the accredited educational content that our members support, provide and rely upon — specifically citing the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education’s (ACCME) Standards for Commercial Support (SCS) that have been adopted by many accrediting organizations.