Policies

 

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CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE POLICY

In accordance with the ACCME's Updated Standards for Commercial Support, the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society requires that anyone who is in a position to control the content of an educational activity discloses all financial relationships with any ineligible company (defined below). Relationships with governmental agencies (e.g., the NIH) and organizations that do not make or own FDA-regulated drugs or devices do not have to be disclosed. If an individual has received honoraria (or fee-for-service) or consulting funds from a CME provider, even though those funds may have been provided through an educational grant from an ineligible company, they do not have to disclose those honoraria or fees.

Should it be determined that a conflict of interest exists as a result of a financial relationship, individuals will be contacted and methods to resolve the conflict will be discussed.

Failure to provide disclosure information in a timely manner, refusal to disclose a conflict, or the inability to resolve an identified conflict will result in disqualification from this activity, at the discretion of the ACNS CME Committee.

A Financial Relationship is a relationship in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, ownership interest (e.g. stocks, stock options or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit. Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management position, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities from which remuneration is received or expected. ACCME considers relationships of the person involved in the CME activity to include financial relationships of a spouse or partner.

An Ineligible Company is any proprietary entity producing health care goods or services, used on, or consumed by, patients, with the exception of non-profit or government organizations and non-health care related companies.

Relevant Financial Relationships: ACCME focuses on financial relationships with commercial interests in the 24-month period preceding the time that the individual is being asked to assume a role controlling content of the CME activity. ACCME has not set a minimal dollar amount for relationships to be significant. Inherent in any amount is the incentive to maintain or increase the value of the relationship. The ACCME defines "'relevant' financial relationships" as financial relationships in any amount occurring within the past 12 months.

Conflict of Interest Circumstances create a conflict of interest when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME content about products or services of an ineligible company with which he/she has a financial relationship.

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SPEAKER COMPENSATION POLICY

Speaker Compensation has been determined by ACNS policy as follows for the Fall Courses. Course Directors are responsible for ensuring that the agenda they have proposed adheres to the following policies:

Registration
Course Directors and speakers will be registered to attend any of the Virtual Fall Courses, including CME, at no charge.

Honoraria
Honoraria will be paid at a rate of $450 per hour. Speaker honoraria will be calculated based on the length of the presentation (30 min = $225; 60 min = $450, etc).

SPEAKER COMPLIANCE WITH DEADLINES

Speakers are expected to comply with deadlines set forth in their speaking invitations as follows:

• Acceptance of speaking invitation                                                   Within 2 weeks of receipt of invitation
• Completion of COI Disclosure Form                                                Within 3 weeks of receipt of invitation
• Submission of presentation abstract                                               30 days prior to the meeting

Submission of presentation slides

• Fall and Annual Course speakers - Slides required for online handouts website, CME review, speaker ready room.
  • Speakers disclosing COI                                     3 weeks prior to the meeting {no changes permitted thereafter}
  • Speakers disclosing “no relationships”               2 weeks prior to the meeting {changes permitted in speaker ready room}

SPEAKER COMPLIANCE WITH CME POLICIES, STANDARDS

Speakers in ACNS educational activities are expected to comply with all ACCME and ACNS policies and standards related to independence of education from commercial influence. Speakers found to be in violation of any policy or standard shall:

• Upon first offense – Receive a warning letter, explaining the violation and future action if repeated;
• Upon second offense – Receive a one-year suspension from speaking in all ACNS educational activities; and
• Upon a third offense – Receive a multi-year suspension from speaking in all ACNS educational activities.