JAMAICA CHAPTER (CCFP-JC)

GUIDELINES TO PHARMACEUTICAL & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

CERTIFICATION / COLLABORATING / ORGANIZING OF

CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) ACTIVITIES / MEETINGS

Purpose and Role of the Association

The function of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians – Jamaica Chapter (CCFP-JC) when it accredits and seeks Continuing Medical Education (CME) on behalf of a pharmaceutical company or other organization is to ensure the quality and integrity of the educational content provided to healthcare professionals.

Accreditation

CCFP-JC acts as an accrediting body that evaluates and approves CME activities offered by pharmaceutical companies or other organizations. The College sets standards and criteria that these activities must meet to ensure adherence to best practices, scientific rigor, and educational effectiveness. This process includes reviewing content, format, faculty qualifications, and instructional methodologies.

Quality Assurance

By accrediting CME activities, CCFP-JC ensures that healthcare professionals receive educational content that is accurate, current, evidence-based, and relevant to clinical practice. Content must be free from commercial or promotional bias.

Independence

CCFP-JC safeguards the independence and integrity of CME activities, ensuring programs meet genuine educational needs and are not promotional in nature. This independence preserves professional trust and credibility.

Oversight

The College may monitor and evaluate accredited CME activities through participant feedback, content evaluation, and outcomes assessment to ensure compliance and continuous improvement.

Accreditation Authority

The CCFP-Jamaica Chapter is a recognized member of the MCJ-NCCME under the authority of the Medical Council of Jamaica and is approved to collaborate or co-organize CME meetings with local, regional, and international pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical organizations requiring CME accreditation. Applications for accreditation/certification of CME meetings are processed through the CCFP-JC Secretariat.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

(Submit at least six (6) weeks before the scheduled CME event)

Late submissions may result in delays or additional administrative costs.

1. Completed Online CME Application Form

2. Detailed Programme Agenda

o Session times, speakers, titles

o Total educational hours

o Exclude: prayers, greetings, sponsor remarks, Q&A, breaks

3. Speaker Biographies

o Qualifications and affiliations

4. Learning Objectives

o Clear, measurable, practice-relevant

5. Presentation Summaries / Slides

o Evidence-based, non-promotional

6. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest (COI)

o Signed by all presenters and organizers

7. Assessment Method

o Post-tests, evaluations, or feedback tools

MEDICAL COUNCIL OF JAMAICA (MCJ) FEES

PRE-SUBMISSION CONSULTATION

Prior consultation must occur with the President of CCFP-JC or Nominee, covering:

∙Rationale for the meeting

∙Review of agenda

∙Presentation objectives and outlines

IMPORTANT NOTES

∙Learning objectives must be explicit and practice-relevant

∙Faculty must demonstrate subject-matter expertise

∙Adult learning principles must be applied

∙Content must be evidence-based

∙Virtual CME activities must mirror face-to-face standards

∙Credit Allocation

o Presenters receive double credit hours

o Attendees receive credit for actual educational time only

o Not counted: prayers, greetings, breaks, Q&A, promotional segments

SUBMISSION TO THE MEDICAL COUNCIL OF JAMAICA

Upon compliance, CCFP-JC will submit documentation to the MCJ Education Sub-Committee at least four (4) weeks before the event.

COUNCIL QUERIES (IF APPLICABLE)

The MCJ may request clarification regarding:

∙Programme content

∙Assessment methodology

∙Target audience

∙Presenter qualifications

Prompt responses are mandatory to avoid delays.

FINANCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

∙MCJ fees payable by direct deposit to NCB

∙MCJ fee may be included in CCFP-JC invoice (optional)

∙Applications must be submitted via the CCFP-JC portal or Secretariat

∙Applications submitted under six (6) weeks may attract an US$50 administrative fee

EVENT & PROMOTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

∙No drug names or products on agendas, invitations, or certificates

∙Invitations must display CCFP-JC name/logo

∙Approved agendas must be distributed at the event

∙Attendance logs, evaluations, and test scores required

∙Certificates issued only after MCJ credit confirmation

POST-EVENT OBLIGATIONS

∙Certificates issued by the Accredited Organizer

∙Attendance and evaluations submitted within 7 days

∙Brief post-event evaluation summary required

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

∙Pre- and post-tests encouraged

∙Minimum 85% attendance for full credit

∙College Executive participation encouraged

∙Avoid scheduling conflicts with MAJ calendar

DEFINITIONS: AFFILIATES & NON-AFFILIATES

Affiliates:​

Medical associations, academic institutions, and healthcare organizations aligned with family

medicine and primary care.

Non-Affiliates:​

Pharmaceutical companies, healthcare manufacturers, and corporate sponsors not directly

involved in medical practice.

CME REVIEW & COST ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE

CCFP-JC reserves the right to revise CME accreditation requirements and fees. Applicants

must review the most current guidelines with each submission.

This guideline is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

CONCLUSION

This framework ensures the integrity, independence, and educational value of CME activities while enabling meaningful collaboration with commercial and non-accredited partners.

Effective: February 1, 2026​

Revised: January 1, 2026