ASRM Continuing Medical Education Policy

1.0 Purpose

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the advancement of the science and practice of reproductive medicine. It is of the best interest of ASRM to implement internal firewalls to prevent the sharing of information acquired from promotional activities, ensure content validity, and determine any potential conflicts of interest.

2.0 Policy

1. ASRM prohibits the discussion regarding content planning of CME activities between those staff members involved in educational planning and those staff members who interact with industry
2. Educational planning staff members are prohibited by official Society policy from having any professional interaction with commercial supporters.
3. Industry staff liaisons are not permitted to provide input into the content, faculty, or design of accredited activities and may not be participants on any program planning committee.
4. Employees of manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, laboratory supplies, or medical devices are not permitted to participate as faculty in CME activities pertaining to patient treatment.
5. In selected hands-on courses using specialized equipment, industry employees are permitted to function as assistants in equipment setup and function, but they are not permitted to teach or participate in any way in the development of the course curriculum.
6. No staff members involved in program planning are permitted to seek information or guidance regarding the research or educational interests of potential commercial supporters.
7. All planners and speakers for CME activities are required to complete a relevant financial relationship disclosure for themselves and their spouses/partners, when required. This includes commercial providers of medially related services prior to the CME activity
8. The Subcommittee for Standards of Commercial Support is a subgroup of the CME Committee and includes the Chair of the CME Committee, the CME Program Manager, and the Chief Education and Science Officer.  They review all disclosures in a three-phased process.
   1. Perceived potential relevant financial relationships are noted, and the members of the Subcommittee develop mutually acceptable conflict mitigations. 
   2. All speakers, content experts, faculty, etc., are sent electronic notification of mitigation requirements (based on the 10 mitigation options utilized by ASRM) and are then required to acknowledge, sign, and adhere to said mitigations. 
9. The Executive CME Program Subcommittee (ECPS), made up by the CME Program Manager, the Manager of Educational Meetings, and the Chief Education & Science Officer, initially review all program chairs and program planning committee members’ relevant financial relationship disclosures.
   1. Once the ECPS confirms participation based on the above-mentioned roles, the Subcommittee for Standards of Commercial Support begins the disclosure review and mitigation process.
   2. Planners and program chairs then move into the standard electronic process of conflict identification and mitigation, including the multi-step mitigation process.
10. To ensure content validity, all CME activities must be based on the most current published evidence in the medical literature. A list of literature references must also be provided to the learners in the activity. Materials for CME activities, including learning objectives, needs assessments, content descriptions, slides, print materials and promotional materials, are reviewed for scientific validity and lack of scientific or commercial bias by the program planning committees, CME program staff, and approved by the Speakers are required to make full disclosure verbally and in any print or enduring materials.
11. ASRM follows the ACCME policy pertaining to ‘Records Retention’. ASRM will maintain a mechanism to record and be able to verify participation for six years from the date of the CME activity. Activity files/records for CME activity planning and presentation will be maintained for the current accreditation term or the last twelve months, whichever is longer.

3.0 Definitions

• CME: Continuing Medical Education
• CESO: Chief Education and Science Officer