CME providers face stricter financial disclosure

The landscape of continuing medical education is poised to change amid new requirements intended to resolve conflicts of interest.

By Myrle Croasdale, AMNews staff. Nov. 1, 2004.

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education has tightened rules for dealing with conflicts of interest, raising concerns that CME quality could suffer as a result.

Some CME providers say the revised rules will disqualify the best and the brightest from speaking at CME events because of their ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Others worry that the detailed financial disclosure now required will have physicians who participate in planning or presenting CME thinking twice about taking part.

Walter J. McDonald, MD, executive vice president of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, said its members rely heavily on CME about cutting-edge research, which is often funded by the pharmaceutical industry.

"Doctors want to learn from the ones who are doing the research, who really have the enthusiasm and the most knowledge," Dr. McDonald said.

Revised ACCME standards call for speakers to resolve these conflicts by cutting their financial ties to the pharmaceutical company that funded their work or by presenting their data without discussing clinical implications.

H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr., MD, executive vice president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, said the ACCME's standards could have the unintended effect of delaying the translation of new developments in ophthalmology into CME.

"Leading experts in ophthalmology often work closely with industry to bring new innovations to patients," he said. "Without this close relationship, we fear innovation and education may proceed at a slower rate."