Without industry support we would not be able to keep our registration prices affordable, given the magnitude of our course (four-day board review). Physicians are given a limited amount of professional development funds and they will quickly learn to shop for the bargain-basement programs, thus making their decision based on overall cost, rather than on their educational and practice needs.
— CME provider at a medical school, name withheld upon request

QUESTION: Should the Accreditation Council for CME require that CME activities be funded by multiple grantors?

We do not want to be forced to limit our unbiased, balanced, and scientifically rigorous educational offerings simply because we have only a single source of funding. Whenever possible, providers should seek multiple sources of funds for their CME activities. Any new guidelines that restrict funding that a provider may receive from a single source or that limit their ability to secure more funding inhibits the open marketplace. Why should a limit be placed upon the amount of high-quality CME that accredited providers can offer to the healthcare industry?
— From the team at Imedex Accreditation Services LLC, Alpharetta, Ga.: Keith Steward MD, president; Chris Bolwell, senior director of medical affairs; Josh Jacobs, associate director of corporate marketing; and Susan H. Yarbrough, manager, CME.

Speak out! If you would like to comment, please email Tamar Hosansky, Editor of Medical Meetings