Stanford Limits Industry Support of CME

This is the cat-bird seat specifically for Stanford University, which (as of yesterday) prohibits industry funding of any specific CME course or program that uses the Stanford name or is directed or initiated by its medical school faculty. Instead pharma companies hoping to support Stanford-sponsored CME must give their funds to Stanford's Office of CME, which will coordinate and distribute the funds for educational activities within 4 broad categories: medical, pediatric, and surgical specialties; diagnostic and imaging technologies and disciplines; health policy and disease prevention; and "other areas approved by the Office of CME."

The new policy does not outrightly prohibit Stanford medical faculty from delivering industry-funded CME that is certified by another ACCME-accredited organization (such as a MECC); although the policy implicity discourages the act. Also it is unclear how the Stanford name, in the form of a faculty member's affiliation, may be used in such a CME activity.

The new Stanford policy follows other university actions, beginning in 2006, when Stanford adopted a center-wide policy that prohibits the acceptance of any industry-supplied gifts* (including food) by medical faculty, healthcare staff, or medical students in any clinical setting. Last year, Stanford revised its annual conflict-of-interest and commitment disclosure for faculty to address personal and family ties to industry that may influence clinical practice.

While supporting CME, Stanford acknowledges that the effect of traditional programs—typically in the form of lectures or discussion groups—on healthcare improvement has not been demonstrated. The university implies that interactive education may be more effective by advising, "Future CME programs should take advantage of emerging technologies and should be more focused on the professional and technical development and education of the learner."

A press release from Phillip Pizzo, MD, the Dean of Stanford's School of Medicine, refers to novel programs available through high-tech university-based learning centers—such as the Goodman Simulation Center and the future Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge. Funding for Stanford's educational simulation programs is unclear, although the $90-million Li Ka Shing Center has been made possible by a very generous donation from a Hong Kong entrepreneur. 

ACCME = Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education; CME = continuing medical education; MECC = medical-education communications company.

* It is not clear from the online policy if gifts include drug samples.

Photo: Screen of virtual procedural simulation from the Goodman Simulation Center.