John Ruggiero, PhD, MPA, CCMEP (Group Manager, Oncology, Genentech, Independent Medical Education Department); Maziar Abdolrasulnia, PhD, MBA (President, CE Outcomes, LLC); Caroline Robinson, PhD (Vice President, Research and Assessment Services, CE Outcomes, LLC)
Synopsis
A clinician’s knowledge and competence are improved as a result of multiple opportunities for professional development, including a combination of publication reviews, peer-to-peer interactions, appropriate promotional product information, and independent education, each of which are often financially supported by industry in some forum. Scrutiny continues to suggest that CMEand CPD-financial support from drug and device manufacturers biases education toward the promotion of their products. As a result of this continued critique, the presenters intend to provide a landscape 2011 evidence-based analysis to examine the consequences to future clinician professional development, safety and practice improvement, and direct patient care if industry no longer supported independent education.
Purpose
Oncology is an area of rapidly changing medical evidence, and the public health consequences are high if there is a failure among clinicians to translate evidence-based medicine to clinical practice. As such, this research evaluates oncologist perceptions of industry bias and the impact that removal of commercially supported CME might have on clinical practice and related patient outcomes.
Format
This symposium will be designed to correlate learning and assessment with safety and practice improvement by (1) providing an interactive panel discussion about the etiology of the research and the hypotheses that link physician learning and subsequent patient outcomes with industry support of CME. (2) The presenters will then provide a didactic presentation describing the 6-month research project that will inform attendees and encourage them to share their unique perspectives.
Perspective of Presenters
Presenters will present from a well-balanced standpoint, that is, an industry position that commercial supporters have no controlling influence over CME, but, recognize natural biases and understand the implications continued critique might have, including the removal or diminishing of industry support from the equation of clinician professional development.
Significance to CME and Participants
This symposium will provide meaningful insights into the long-term implications that a loss or major decrease of independent, industry-supported CME might have on the healthcare community. It is therefore vital that members of the CME/CPD communities be made aware of evidence-based research that may assist them in remaining proactive to continue to compliantly address safety and practice improvement.
Funding Sources
This study was funded by Genentech, Inc.
