41st Annual Family Medicine Refresher Course

The FDA has issued a concept paper which classifies commercial support of scientific and educational programs as promotional unless it can be affirmed that the program is "truly independent" and free of commercial influence. In addition to independence, the FDA requires that nonpromotional, commercially supported education be objective, balanced, and scientifically rigorous. The policy further states that all potential conflicts of interest of the CME staff and faculty be fully disclosed to the program's participants. In addition, Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education policy now mandates that the provider adequately manages all identified potential conflicts of interest prior to the program. We at UCLA fully endorse the letter and spirit of these concepts.