A recent ACCME review of our organization and updated standards regarding conflict of interest (COI) management directly impacts the participation of all AAHKS CME activity planners, faculty and contributors to content. This means that AAHKS members submitting Annual Meeting abstracts and symposia proposals, serving as abstract reviewers or in other volunteer capacity contributing to CME content AND owning stock or investment in privately held companies or employed by any industry partners are immediately affected. Those who have stock options are not affected.
Per the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education (Standard 3.2), owners and employees of ineligible companies* are considered to have financial relationships that cannot be mitigated. As a result, we are required to exclude these individuals from participating as planners or faculty in clinical content where those conflicts are relevant, except under limited circumstances.
These limited circumstance exceptions include:
- Content unrelated to the business lines or products of the individual’s company
- Basic science or methodological research that does not include care recommendations
- Participation as technical instructors focused solely on safe and proper use of devices, without recommending clinical application
Please know that AAHKS members have an option to sell or divest the stock in privately held companies (including startups), which transforms the unmitigable conflict to a mitigable, relevant conflict and lifts the restrictions.
It is critical that all AAHKS members update their disclosure information at their earliest convenience to ensure accuracy and compliance with these requirements. View and update your disclosure information (log in with your AAHKS credentials).
We recognize that this update comes at short notice, and we sincerely appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we navigate these changes. Your willingness to prioritize the integrity of our education mission and the trust of our membership speaks volumes about this group and the culture of AAHKS.
Thank you again for your continued support, professionalism and commitment to AAHKS.
Regards,
Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA
AAHKS President
Leonard T. Buller, MD
Vice Chair, AAHKS Education and Communication Council
* Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling or distributing health care products used by or on patients.
