Medical education companies meeting privately withregulators aired their disproval of a new policy they say treats them unfairly,but real parity appeared beyond reach.
During a December summit, the Accreditation Council for CME(ACCME) acknowledged that commercial conflicts occur beyond MECCs. Still,according to minutes from the meeting supplied by the North AmericanAssociation of Medical Education and Communication Companies, ACCME assertedthat its current mandate only includes consideration of content and conflictissues related to FDA-regulated companies. “ACCME noted that any change to thatmight be considered ‘mission creep.’”
For its part, ACCME did agree to put the “level playing field”issue on its agenda for a board meeting scheduled for March, but that’s noguarantee the concern will be addressed.
Michael Lemon, NAAMECC president, said the group is“encouraged that ACCME is opening a dialogue with various interests thatrepresent accredited providers. There’s a lot of work to be done, and our voiceneeds to be heard.”
At issue is the ACCME’s decision to allowschools, hospitals and societies to be exempt from its expanded definition of acommercial interest (MM&M, November 2007), despite receiving comments fromgroups that the need for exemptions weakens the policy.
From the February 01, 2008 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
