AAPA Adopts Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education

Standards Ensure CME is Protected from Industry Bias and Marketing

June 24, 2021

AAPA adopted the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education’s (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, following the passage of a resolution during the 2021 House of Delegates meeting.

ACCME updated the standards in December 2020 to reflect the values of the continuing education community and to ensure that accrediting bodies in the health professions are united in their commitment to deliver high-quality learning experiences and to sustain the protection from industry bias and marketing.

“We welcome the adoption of the Standards by AAPA, our colleague accreditor,” Graham McMahon, MD, MMSc, President and CEO, ACCME, said in a recent announcement. “We share a commitment to ensuring that healthcare professionals have access to relevant, timely, efficient, and effective education that is balanced, evidence-based, and insulated from industry bias. PAs represent all medical and surgical specialties and make vital contributions to healthcare. We look forward to working with the AAPA and the other members of our community of educators and accrediting bodies to deliver on our promise to offer trusted learning that helps clinicians and teams across the health professions provide safe, effective, and compassionate care.”

[Earn CME with each issue of our clinical journal, JAAPA, free with membership]

AAPA Vice President, Education and Research & Chief Strategy Officer Daniel Pace, said the new standards provide rules to regulate how funds from commercial entities can be accepted by continuing medical education (CME) providers and outline the steps that accredited providers are required to take to ensure that inappropriate bias is not inserted into CME activities.

“We are committed to ensuring that the education PAs receive from AAPA and the AAPA Category 1 CME system is protected from inappropriate and undue influence from financially interested parties,” Pace said. “Adhering to these standards will give assurance to PAs that CME available to them through AAPA is based on up-to-date medical information and will provide the resources they need to improve patient care.”

You May Also Like:
Learning Central: Destination for Lifelong PA Learning
PA Educators Share Inspiration, Challenges, Rewards
PA Career Pivots: 6 Tips for Redirecting Your Future