I'm heading to the 22nd Annual Conference of the National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration

I'm heading to Baltimore for the 22nd Annual Conference of the National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration, "Collaborating to Improve Professional Education and Health Outcomes." I've been attending this conference every year since 2006 and it's been interesting to follow the changing trends within the world of CME.

The Hot Topics session will address Risk Reduction and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). Keynote presentation by William D. Carey, MD, Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Director, Center for Continuing Education at the Cleveland Clinic. Shickman Lecture: "Collaborating for Advances in Professional Education and Patient-Centered Care" by Douglas E. Henley, MD FAAFP. Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer, American Academy of Family Physicians.

I'm sure everyone will also attend: 10 Myths About the CEJA Report, presented by Bette Crigger, PhD, Director of Ethics Policy and Secretary of the AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs

Make sure to stop by the NAMEC (National Association of Medical Education Companies) booth to learn more about NAMEC.

Advocacy Efforts Supporting Industry Collaboration in CME #cmetaskforce

Today is the last day of the 21st Annual Conference Of The National Task Force On CME Provider/Industry Collaboration. The Shickman Panel was titled, "Advocacy Efforts Supporting Industry Collaboration in CME." How often do you find yourself defending CME?

Moderator: Brian McGowan, PhD; Pfizer Inc

Panelists:

• John Kamp, PhD, JD; Coalition for Healthcare Communication
• Brad Bednarz, Chief Strategy Officer at Visible Productions
• Lois Colburn; Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education (SACME)
• Michael Weber, MD; Association of Clinical Researchers and Educators (ACRE)
• Christopher Bolwell; National Association of Medical Education Companies (NAMEC)
• Jann Balmer, PhD; Alliance for Continuing Medical Education (ACME)
• Norman B. Kahn, Jr., MD; Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS)

What is the true value of CME?

In the past, CME was "trust me, I'm keeping up..." Now, CME has evolved dramatically and it focuses on patient outcomes, physician performance, and the application of the latest evidence. There are opportunities to develop advocacy efforts around the intersection of public health, patient safety, and improved quality.

Industry Senior Medical Leaders Panel #cmetaskforce (How Does CME Fit Into the Grand Scheme of Medical Affairs)

Today is the last day of the 21st Annual Conference Of The National Task Force On CME Provider/Industry Collaboration. This morning, we had a panel discussion titled, "Industry Senior Medical Leaders Panel: How Does CME Fit Into the Grand Scheme of Medical Affairs?"

Moderator: John Kamp, PhD, JD, Coalition for Healthcare Communication

The panelists included:

• Paul Chew, MD, Senior Vice President, U.S. Chief Science Officer/Chief Medical Officer, sanofi-aventis
• Janelle (Jill) Massey, PharmD, MBA, Vice President, Scientific Affairs, Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
• Nancy Santilli, NP, MSN, FAAN, Vice President, Scientific Affairs, Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.

So, what did we talk about?

First, they discussed the value of CME. We need to inform senior executives about the value of CME. This type of information needs to be disseminated through business media such as the Wall Street Journal, the NY Times, HBR, etc.

NAAMECC is now NAMEC #cmetaskforce

The North American Association of Medical Education and Communication Companies, Inc., (NAAMECC) has renamed itself National Association of Medical Education Companies, Inc., (NAMEC). (now, it's much easier to spell)

The National Association of Medical Education Companies, Inc., (NAMEC) is a professional association dedicated to providing representation, advocacy, and education for its members. NAMEC is incorporated in the state of Maryland and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(6) organization.

NAMEC revealed its new booth at the 21st Annual Conference Of The National Task Force On CME Provider/Industry Collaboration. You can also visit the new website here:
http://www.namec-assn.org/

On the train to Baltimore to attend #cmetaskforce

I'm now on the train heading to Baltimore to attend the 21st Annual Conference Of The National Task Force On CME Provider/Industry Collaboration. I think it's just easier to say #cmetaskforce.

Make sure to follow #cmetaskforce on Twitter as CME professionals tweet about the conference. Today, I'll be in a NAAMECC (North American Association of Medical Education and Communication Companies, Inc.,) board meeting and then I'll be attending the opening reception at 6:30 pm. I can't wait to dig into some crab cakes when I'm in Baltimore!

Getting ready for the 21st Annual Conference Of The National Task Force On CME Provider/Industry Collaboration #cmetaskforce

I'm getting ready to go to Baltimore for the 21st Annual Conference Of The National Task Force On CME Provider/Industry Collaboration. If you're planning on being there, I look forward to connecting and tweeting about the conference.

This year's conference is titled, "Moving forward in an age of uncertainty; Creating innovative, practical educational solutions." Seems like a very appropriate title given all the recent changes in the world of CME.

Oct. 13-15, 2010 in Baltimore
See you there!

We'll be using the Twitter hashtag #cmetaskforce

National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration

I look forward to seeing you in Baltimore for the National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration.

21st Annual Conference 

Plan now to attend the 21st Annual Conference of the National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration, "Moving forward in an age of uncertainty; Creating innovative, practical educational solutions," to be held Oct. 13-15, 2010 in Baltimore! This conference will provide the opportunity to network and participate in dynamic sessions with leading industry experts.

Click here for more information.

FDA Transparency Blog

Transparency is a real buzz phrase in the world of industry-supported medical education. We all want to know if a speaker has any financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Do such ties influence clinical attitudes and prescribing behaviors? To ties to industry influence the decisions made by government organizations such as the FDA? After all, the decisions they make heavily impact the success (or failure) of many pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

The FDA recently launched the FDA Transparency Blog. This almost implies that the FDA has not been transparent. Or, perhaps they are now making a concerted effort to demonstrate their willingness to publicly disclose anything that might influence their decisions. The Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., formed the Transparency Task Force, chaired by Principal Deputy Commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, to provide recommendations on ways to make the FDA and its processes more transparent to the public.

On the blog, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; remarks: "Our Administration is committed to eliminating the barriers between the American people and their government, and the Task Force is another big step in the right direction."