Evaluating conflicts of interest in research presented in CME venues

Abstract

While limited, by study design, this research detected subjectivity and variability in perceiving commercial bias within research findings presented in CME venues. Further study of these questions is required to guide the resolution of conflicts of interest in research and CME.

Chiropractic in North America: Toward a Strategic Plan for Professional Renewal—Outcomes from the 2006 Chiropractic Strategic Planning Conference

“…48,49 Conflict of interest should be declared for undergraduate and continuing education programs. 50 A nationally standardized certification process ascribed to by institutions offering continuing education programs similar to those serving other health professions would build trust for the profession.…”

Interrater reliability to assure valid content in peer review of CME-accredited presentations

“…A previous study compared the rate of identification of commercial bias in CME professionals versus "trained physician peer reviewers" in CME presentations for family physicians. 3 Although interrater reliability was not calculated, the authors found that CME professionals were more likely to disagree on the presence of commercial bias than physician reviewers. When acknowledgments of potential conflicts were stated at the beginning of a presentation, neither group was more likely to perceive commercial bias~al-though knowledge of conflict of interest increased awareness FIGURE 1.…”