CME Coalition Publishes Sunshine Act Compliance Guide for Accredited CME Events

July 31, 2013 - PRLog -- Today, the CME Coalition released a Sunshine Act Compliance Guide to provide clarity on the CME Sunshine exemption to medical education providers, CME event sponsors, commercial supporters and physicians.

Available to the public at www.cmecoalition.org, the Compliance Guide offers easy steps, and provides helpful answers, to stakeholders interested in putting together an accredited CME program that avoids the tracking and reporting requirements of the Sunshine Act.

The Guide is based upon legal guidance commissioned by the CME Coalition from the law firm of Alston & Bird, as well as numerous meetings with CMS and OMB decisionmakers in the Executive Branch.

The CME Coalition still anticipates further guidance outlining possible additions to the list of accrediting bodies that are counted towards meeting the Sunshine-exemption criteria outlined in the Act, as well as more details around the treatment of attendee meals. However, in advance of that guidance, there is still adequate information available to safely plan Sunshine-exempt CME programs.



Andrew Rosenberg, Senior Advisor to the CME Coalition stated, “We hope that this Compliance Guide will quickly become industry standard and are confident it will provide stakeholders with the necessary confidence to plan successful CME events without the burdens or penalties that are applicable to non-accredited activities."



The CME Coalition represents a collection of continuing medical education provider companies, in addition to other supporters of CME and the vital role it plays in the US health care system. Its member organizations provide, manage and support the development of healthcare continuing education programs that impact more than 500,000 physicians, nurses and pharmacists annually.



Graduation from medical school and completion of residency training are the first steps in a career-long educational process for physicians. To take advantage of the growing array of diagnostic and treatment options, physicians must continually update their technical knowledge and practice skills. CME is a mainstay for such learning.