GlaxoSmithKline to reform US medical education funding
pharmafile | September 23, 2009 | News story | Medical Communications |Â Â CME, US, ethicsÂ
GlaxoSmithKline has announced a major shift in its policy for paying for medical education programmes for doctors in the US.
The company is the latest to declare a more rigorous and transparent approach to how it sponsors continuing medical education (CME), which has come in response to growing suspicion about industry influence over US physicians.
In 2007 Lilly became the first company to publish its CME funding online. It was followed a year later by Pfizer, which went further by declaring it would no longer work with US medical education agencies.
GSK says that from 2010 it will ‘raise the bar’ and fund only independent medical education programmes that are ”clearly designed to close gaps in patient care, and that demonstrate support for the optimal performance of healthcare professionals.”
“GSK will not support as many medical education programs, but we will continue funding those with the greatest potential to improve patient health,” said Deirdre Connelly, GSK’s president of North America Pharmaceuticals.
“Continuing medical education offers healthcare professionals important information on disease prevention, diagnosis and management. Independent and balanced information on the latest discoveries about disease and treatment options helps healthcare professionals make higher quality decisions and achieve better patient health outcomes.”
GSK says it will invite 20 medical education providers with a track record of high quality medical education programmes to apply for grants.
These will be limited to academic medical centres and their affiliated teaching and patient care institutions, as well as national-level professional medical associations that represent healthcare professionals responsible for the delivery of patient care. All selected providers must be directly accredited by a recognised accrediting body.
GSK will no longer fund CME by commercial providers including medical education and communication companies (MECCs) with immediate effect.
The company says funding levels for each grant will depend on the quality, scope and complexity in closing the clinical gap identified by the provider.
All proposals will have to come with an objective, well documented assessment of the need for such a programme, clear learning objectives and plans to assess the impact of the educational programme on healthcare professional competence, performance, and improved patient health.
“We want to enhance the quality of these programmes,” Connelly said. “This is one more step in our efforts to be more transparent in the way we operate our business and interact with healthcare providers.”
All approved US grants will be posted on the company’s website, a move which GSK began in February this year.
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