Implementing the AAN conflict of interest policy for CME programming

The American Academy of Neurology Institute (AAN Institute), the subsidiary of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), is approved by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The purpose of the CME programming is to support
the AAN/AAN Institute’s commitment “to promote brain health for all.” This goal is accomplished by producing high-quality education, science, and practice programming that increases, knowledge, competence, and/or performance of physicians and the interdisciplinary neurologic care team.

In providing CME programming, the AAN Institute complies with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Compliance is facilitated through the AAN Institute’s Relationships and Conflicts of Interest Policy. In addition, the AAN Institute has adopted the following policies in relation to CME programming and “Ineligible Companies” (defined in the Relationships and Conflicts of Interest Policy as “including any
entity developing, producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services, including drugs, devices, services or therapies, consumed by, or used on, patients to diagnose, treat, monitor, manage, and alleviate health conditions”).

Policies for AAN CME directors, faculty, co-chairs, and abstract authors:

1. The AAN must ensure that all decisions related to the planning, faculty selection, delivery, and evaluation of accredited education are made without any influence or involvement from the owners and employees of an ineligible company. This policy applies to AAN CME directors, faculty, moderators, and planners.

Policies for industry employees and/or their third-party representatives:

1. Ineligible company employees cannot be AAN/AAN Institute award recipients.
2. Ineligible company employees cannot serve as course directors.
3. Ineligible company employees cannot serve on CME planning groups, including but not limited to Meeting Management Committee, Science Committee, Education Committee, Conference Subcommittee, Abstract Reviewers.
4. Ineligible company employees cannot serve as plenary session speakers.
5. Ineligible company owners or employees are permitted to submit and present as part of the science/abstract portion via the AAN peer-review process and as long as the content of the accredited activity is limited to basic science research, such as preclinical research and drug discovery, or the methodologies of research,and they do not make care recommendations.