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Application: Awarding of SSA-credits for continuing education programs

Based on the SAMW directives Collaboration between medical professionals and industry (2022), the Swiss Institute for Continuing Medical Education and Training (SWIF) recommends that medical associations and recognized continuing education institutions use the following checklist when deciding whether to award credits for continuing education events.

An educational program can only receive credits if it:

In order to avoid administrative inconvenience, the professional societies and the recognized training centres of the SIWF may recognize regularly held continuing education programmes of their own or those of hospitals or departments en bloc or in advance (cf. Section 4.3.9 SAMS Guidelines).

The precondition for this is written assurance from the specialist society concerned or the hospitals and hospital departments that these continuing education events meet the following criteria.

Event / Course

For one-day event provide same as 'From'
1 credit corresponds to 1 hour
Hours: without breaks, without supporting program
Allowed file types: .pdf. Maximum file size allowed 10 MB.

Applicant

Non-medical congress organizing company

Criteria for accreditation as a continuing education event

Please check the applicable box:

1.

The scientific program committee is composed mainly of medical experts.

1.
2.

The program chairs can decide on the type and topics of the event, the selection of participants and speakers independently of any sponsors. If the organizer of the continuing education program is a pharmaceutical company or a firm with links to a pharmaceutical company, the content and speakers must be selected by an independent medical board.

2.

The topics should be treated objectively and according to the current state of scientific knowledge and as interdisciplinary as possible. Diagnostic and therapeutic options should be presented in full and in accordance with the criteria of evidence-based medicine. In the presentations, medicinal products should always be mentioned with the internationally recognized active ingredient name.

3.

The social activities offered at the event are not part of the continuing education program and are not included in the scientific program.

3.

Financial funding of supporting programs, even if they are of minor importance, is prohibited. Satellite symposia organized by the industry must be designated as this type of event and do not count as recognized training courses.

4.

If the event is financially supported (sponsored) by private companies, then several companies must be involved in this sponsorship (mono-sponsorship only in justified exceptional cases).

4.

Events are generally financed by contributions from participants, the organizing institution, an association or professional society and supported by contributions from industry. In order to avoid dependencies, several independent companies should be involved in providing support (multi-sponsoring). Exceptions to multi-sponsoring must be able to be justified. (Any mono-sponsoring must be justified at the end).

5.

Agreements with the industry are recorded in writing.

5.
6.

Income from the retail of (virtual) advertising space and the rental of stands, as well as time slots for industry symposia, are shown as a lump sum in the event budget.

6.

There is no obligation to third parties to itemize the contributions and name the contracting parties.

7.

Participants pay a self-cost contribution for industry-supported education courses. Full or partial reimbursement of the cost contribution and/or compensation by the industry for indirect costs incurred by participants (loss of working hours or income) is excluded.

7.

For events lasting longer than half a day, participants shall contribute at least one third of the costs of the training event and at least one fifth of the costs of further training. The costs of any framework activities, extended hotel stays and travel or other follow-up actions shall be paid in full by the participants.

8.

The fees for speakers are appropriate.

8.

The assessment of what is deemed appropriate is made on a case-by-case basis. The scope of the agreed services, the qualifications of the speaker and the time required must be taken into account for the assessment. It may also be taken into account whether a speaker already receives compensation under employment or mandate law.

9.

It is ensured that organizers and speakers disclose any connections of interest, in particular financial connections to industry, in particular consulting activities and research cooperations.

9.

Disclosure is made in the application for recognition of credits, at the beginning of a lecture, in the invitation and in the program. The supporting organizations must be listed by name in the preliminary and main programme, in the conference documents and in lectures and e-learning materials.

10.

Participants shall have the opportunity to evaluate and comment on the event after its conclusion.

10.
11.

Upon request, budgets and accounts are disclosed to the responsible institutions (professional societies, SIWF, similar institutions of the respective professional group) and the supporting industry.

11.
12.

Any surpluses are earmarked for specific purposes, i.e. for education, training and further education.

12.

Support contributions to the organization of an event and income from advertising (cf. Clause 6) shall be booked to a designated account of the organizer (university, institution, foundation, professional association, cantonal medical association, agency commissioned by the organizer, etc.) and used for the organization of the event, for the remuneration of the speakers and for expenses. Control is the responsibility of the organizer.

Criteria for the recognition of virtual events as continuing education programms

13.

Participants have registered and pay a contribution towards costs. Advertisements are only permitted during the break.

13.

Points 1-12 above apply equally to virtual events.

This checklist must be completed and submitted with the application toward SSA for SSA granted credits.

Prof. Dr. Daniel Staub, member of the Executive Board, is responsible for credit awarding at the SSA.