Where can I include marketing information from our commercial supporters in our educational materials?
Standard 5 is clear that educational materials that are a part of accredited education (including slides, abstracts, handouts, etc.) cannot contain any ineligible company marketing (including logos, trade names, etc.). Educational content MUST be separate from marketing by ineligible companies - including advertising, sales, exhibits, and promotion.
Marketing by or for an ineligible company can be included in activity materials that do not contain educational content, including logistical information and schedules.
(Standard 5: Manage Ancillary Activities Offered in Conjunction with Accredited Continuing Education)
In our online CE activity, our learners just need to click past the marketing of an ineligible company to get to the educational content. Is that ok?
No! The ACCME, in Standard 5, explicitly says that "learners must be able to engage with the accredited education without having to click through, watch, listen to, or be presented with product promotion or product-specific advertisement".
(Standard 5: Manage Ancillary Activities Offered in Conjunction with Accredited Continuing Education)
