AFMC Board of Directors endorses CPD policy paper on industry funding

OTTAWA, Dec. 16 /CNW/ - On November 18, 2010, the Board of Directors of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) endorsed a policy paper authored by the AFMC Standing Committee on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) regarding the role of industry in continuing professional development in Canadian faculties of medicine. The paper, which was the product of a comprehensive process to find consensus between all university CME/CPD offices outlines the ethical standards and principles they will be guided by in all their relationships with industry.

"This is the first time all university-based CME/CPD offices have agreed upon a consistent set of high standards to guide their relationships with industry which was also endorsed by all AFMC Deans of Medicine", said Dr. Bob Bluman, Assistant Dean of CPD at the Faculty of Medicine at University of British Columbia and Chair of the SCCPD Working Group charged with drafting the paper.

"This is yet another step forward for the medical education community in Canada" said Dr. James Rourke, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Chair of the AFMC Board of Directors.  "We are moving towards developing sound principles for interaction with our industry partners which will lay the groundwork for more productive and transparent collaborative endeavours".

Canada's faculties of medicine have been examining the issue of industry funding of medical education since they endorsed the principles underlying the American Association of Medical Colleges' 2008 report on that same topic. Dr. Nick Busing, President and CEO of AFMC, expressed his satisfaction that the standing committee's paper was endorsed: "these formal positions serve us well; they provide us with tangible guidelines and reassure the Canadian public that we understand the need for transparent and principled interactions with industry".

Visit our website to view the policy paper here: http://www.afmc.ca/about-committees-e.php

For further information:

Irving Gold
Vice President, Government Relations and External Affairs
The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC)
Ph: 613-730-0687 Ext. 236
Cell: 613-983-9436
Email: [email protected]