VCOM Institutional Policy and Procedure Manual

VCOM Policy and Procedure

Policy #U015

5.3 Industry-Sponsored Speaking Relationships VCOM employees are not permitted to participate in commercial or industry-sponsored speakers’ bureaus or other events when the primary purpose of the event is marketing and sales to industry customers, regardless of whether compensation is provided. A commercial speakers’ bureau is defined as a situation in which VCOM personnel provides services as a speaker for industry under an arrangement that has any of the following characteristics: • Industry has the contractual right to dictate or control the content of the presentation or talk, • Industry creates and/or edits slides or presentation material (material is not completely original to the VCOM personnel), • VCOM personnel is expected to act as industry agent or spokesperson for the purpose of disseminating industry or product information, • VCOM personnel is provided a gift, honorarium or other reimbursement to attend. Speaking activities that are not expressly prohibited above will be evaluated by the President and appropriate Associate Dean, and may be referred to the Conflict of Interest Committee on a case-by-case basis. The President and Associate Dean will review and decide approval for any VCOM personnel to speak at these events based upon these guidelines: • Speakers must have sole editorial discretion as to lecture content and materials. • Speakers must provide a fair and balanced assessment of therapeutic options and promote objective scientific and educational discourse. • The event must be purely educational in nature and designed to provide evidence-based medical or scientific information, advocate evidence-based clinical care and/or advance scientific research. It must in no way promote an industry, its drugs or devices. • Speakers should make it clear that the lecture content reflects their individual views and not the views of VCOM, its clinical facilities or its affiliated teaching hospitals. • Individual agreements made by VCOM personnel with industry for scientific or educational lectures must contain finite terms not to exceed three years and must not be in any way related to or tied to the College or the individuals position at the College and must not interfere with VCOM employment. VCOM personnel must have approval in advance from the President. VCOM personnel who wish to organize training at a sponsored education or training activity must receive approval by the President prior to engaging in, or accepting remuneration, for the activity. VCOM personnel who wish to organize such activities on campus and/or under VCOM’s name must organize and present the course in compliance with AOA/ACCME accreditation procedures, and have the course managed by VCOM’s CME office or the Center for Simulation and Technology with final approval by the President. 5.4 Industry Support of Accredited CME All continuing medical education (CME) events hosted or sponsored by VCOM must comply with the accreditation standards of the AOA for Continuing Medical Education. AOA adheres to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Standards for Commercial Support (SCS); however, the AOA monitors their own sponsors and programs on SCS. All CME is approved through the VCOM Continuing Medical Education Office with final approval by the President. Industry funding for CME events is not permitted except in the circumstances described below (educational gifts or grants). At no time shall such support be tied to any lecture, materials or content of any CME program. Industry interested in sponsoring CME hosted by VCOM may provide educational gifts or grants. These donations must be made to a central, blinded fund through the VCOM

VCOM Policy on Conflicts of Interest

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