GUIDELINES TO PHARMACEUTICAL & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
CERTIFICATION/COLLABORATING/ORGANIZING OF CONTINUINING MEDICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES/MEETINGS
The function of the College 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. Here’s how it typically works:
Accreditation: The College 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 they adhere to best practices, scientific rigor, and educational effectiveness. This process involves reviewing the content, format, faculty qualifications, and instructional methods employed in the CME program.
Quality Assurance: By accrediting CME activities, the College helps ensure that healthcare professionals receive educational content that is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to their clinical practice. The College verifies that the content is based on scientific evidence and free from any bias or promotional influence from the pharmaceutical company or organization providing the activity.
Independence: The College plays a crucial role in maintaining the independence and integrity of the CME process. It ensures that the accredited activities are designed to meet the educational needs of healthcare professionals rather than being promotional or biased towards specific products or services. This independence is essential for preserving the trust of healthcare professionals and safeguarding the credibility of the CME programs.
Oversight: The College may also monitor and evaluate the implementation of accredited CME activities to ensure they comply with the established standards. This oversight includes collecting feedback from participants, evaluating the effectiveness of the educational content, and identifying areas for improvement.
By accrediting and seeking CME on behalf of pharmaceutical companies or other organizations, the College plays a vital role in promoting continuous professional development among healthcare professionals while ensuring the educational content meets high standards of quality, independence, and scientific integrity.
The CCFP is a member of the NCCME MCJ-NCCME which is approved by the Medical Council of Jamaica and is approved to collaborate or co-organize medical meetings with local and international pharmaceutical and or non-pharmaceutical companies requiring CME accreditation for Medical meetings.
Applications for accreditation/certification of CME meetings can be obtained through the CCFP. For more information on collaborating with us, please contact the Secretariat.
The Summary guidelines are outlined below.
Contact must be made with/discussions held with the College’s President or Nominee advising him/her of proposed meeting to: – review of the meeting agenda, rational for meeting, and outline of the presenter(s) presentation which highlights the objective of the presentation. The Outline must set out:-
- The Rationale;
- Aim;
- Objective;
- Method and Evaluation.
Presentation should be of practical relevance and benefits to the Physicians, and not overtly biased to the Pharmaceutical products etc.
After discussion/review with College’s President/Nominee:
Pharmaceutical company/body must pay the relevant Medical Council of Jamaica fee (i.e. J$7,500 per day) by direct deposit to National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited, Cross Roads Branch, J$ Savings Account #234117343 and submit confirmation of payment via email to MCJ EMAIL ADDRESS
Pharmaceutical/other organization must submit applications via the CCFP online portal to the Secretariat in a timely manner prior to the event. A minimum timeframe of six (6) weeks is required (but flexibility may be exercised depending on the exigencies of the situation). Applications submitted less that the minimum time-frame prior to a proposed event, will attract an additional administrative cost (US$50).
Pharmaceutica/other organization must prepare meeting agenda and submit together with application (using the link on this website – below), proof of payment of MCJ fee of J$7,500.00/ US$47.00 per day for CME , or include in your application that CCFP is to include the MCJ cost in the invoice. Invitation and presenter(s) bio data/CV and the meeting outline must be submitted online or via email. For Pharmaceutical organizations, no products or drug should be displayed on the Agenda. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE SUBMITTED TO MCJ WITHOUT PROOF OF PAYMENT OF MCJ’S APPLICABLE FEE (if not requested to be included in the invoice).
Invitations should display the name or logo of the College as well as the pharmaceutical/other organization requesting credits for the event or meeting.
Invitation(s) should not have the name of any drug displayed thereon and if possible should carry the logo of the college and the Pharmaceutical/organization, where applicable.
It is recommended that an approved agenda be printed and handed out at the event (if physical meeting)/circulated electronically (for webinars).
A log of attendees with contact details and pre & post-test scores must be submitted to the Secretariat (if applicable)
CME Certificates are to be designed in conjunction with the organizing Association and should not have the name of any drug displayed thereon.
Printing/distribution of the Certificates is the responsibility of the pharmaceutical/other organization (for physical meeting).
Certificates must not be issued without confirmation from the Secretariat that Credits have been confirmed by Medical Council of Jamaica/Caribbean College of Family Physicians (MCJ-NCCME/CCFP-NCCME).
Certificates should display the following information:
(a) Name and Logo of the Pharmaceutical/Other organization.
(b) Name and Logo of the Certifying/Collaborating Association and the MCJ/NCCME.
(c) Attendees’ name.
(d) Venue and date of Meeting.
(e) Topic(s) or Theme of Event
(f) Presenter(s) name(s)
(g) CME Hours Approved: ________ hrs
by: MCJ-NCCME and/or CCFP-NCCME
For Licensure Period: ________ (coming year)
(h) CME Hours Awarded: ___________
(j) Signature of College President or Representative
It is recommended that Pre-test and post-tests are set by each Presenter and should be administered at the start and end of the meeting. Attendees are required to complete the pre and post-tests to receive certificates of attendance. For virtual events, it is recommended that attendees are in attendance at least for 85% of the webinar, to receive the full credit, otherwise the hours are prorated, based on logged-on time of the attendee.
It is recommended that an Executive of the College or their nominee be invited to attend the meeting to either, welcome, give opening remarks, moderate or give vote of thanks, if possible. Please indicate at the time of discussion of the meeting with the college’s president/nominee how/if he/she will facilitate at the event.
Timing of events/meetings should avoid clashes with events of Council Members on the Medical Association of Jamaica Annual Calendar (if events are being hosted from Jamaica).
Affiliates: For meeting accreditation (Jamaica only), Administrative fee is US$200 or J$ equivalent, per day plus MCJ fee of J$7,500 per day and is due on presentation of the College’s invoice.
For Regional & Jamaica Accreditation Combined the administrative fee is US$300 or J$ plus MCJ fee of J$7,500 per day equivalent per day.
Advisory of Approved CME hours will be sent by email to the pharmaceutical company/organization’s representative requesting the certification of the meeting. If we are required to email certificates on your behalf and you require a report /confirmation that certificates were emailed, please indicate when requesting meeting accreditation/collaboration, by sending a follow-up email to your online application.
Non-Affiliates: For meeting accreditation (Jamaica only), Administrative fee is US$300 plus MCJ Accreditation fee of J$7,500 per day, and is due on presentation of the College’s invoice to the pharmaceutical company/other organization. For Regional & Jamaica Accreditation the administrative fee is US$400 or J$ equivalent per day plus MCJ fee of J$7,500 or US$ equivalent/day (for non-affiliates, if requesting accreditation for the same meeting through both CCFPJ and CCFPR) *see below for clause re affiliates and non-affiliates.
NOTE: PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COLLEGE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING/ADVERTISING THE MEETINGS BEING CERTIFIED FOR PHARMACEUTICAL AND/OR OTHER COMPANIES. IF THIS SERVICE IS REQUIRED IT WILL BE AT AN ADDITIONAL COST TO THE PHARMACEUTICAL OR OTHER COMPANY, AND THE REQUEST MUST BE MADE AT THE TIME OF APPLYING FOR ACCREDITATION
PROMOTION OF EVENT – J$16,000.00/US$160 FOR TWO EMAIL BLASTS
EMAILING OF CERTIFICATES TO ATTENDEES – J$15,000.00/US$195 (FOR UP TO 1000 ATTENDEES) ADDITIONAL COST IS APPLICABLE AFTER THE FIRST 1,000.
LATE SUBMISSION OF REQUESTS – US$50 OR J$ EQUIVALENT
NOTE: FOR COLLABORATIONS/PARTNERING, PLEASE CONTACT THE SECRETARIAT FOR RATES AND CHARGES
DEFINITIONS: AFFILIATES AND NON-AFFILIATES
*Affiliate and Non-Affiliate Classification
The Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP) classifies organizations into Affiliates and Non-Affiliates to distinguish the nature of our collaborations:
Affiliates: These include medical organizations aligned with the practice of medicine, such as national and regional family medicine associations, healthcare institutions, and academic entities dedicated to advancing family medicine and primary care. Additionally, CCFP chapters in various countries are considered affiliates.
Non-Affiliates: These include pharmaceutical companies, healthcare product manufacturers, and other organizations that support healthcare delivery but are not directly aligned with medical practice. Organizations not related to medicine or healthcare, such as corporate sponsors, are also classified as non-affiliates.
This classification ensures transparency in our collaborations and reinforces our commitment to advancing family medicine and general practice within the Caribbean region.
CME Accreditation Review and Cost Adjustment Clause
The Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP) periodically reviews and revises its Continuing Medical Education (CME) Accreditation requirements for the collaboration of CME activities. These reviews ensure compliance with evolving educational standards and best practices. Additionally, accreditation fees are subject to change based on market conditions and operational costs. CCFP reserves the right to adjust pricing as necessary and will provide timely notice of any revisions to stakeholders.
It is important that applicants read the most current CME Accreditation Guidelines each time an application is submitted to ensure compliance with the latest requirements and fee structures.
This guideline is valid for 12 months from the date of completion, after which a new and signed one must be submitted under the updated guidelines.
Applicants are required to download the CME Accreditation Guidelines in PDF format, sign the acknowledgment section, and return a scanned copy to CCFP via email for our records.
Acknowledgment and Agreement
I, _____________________________ (Name), acknowledge that I have read and understood the CME Accreditation Guidelines set forth by the Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP). I agree to comply with these guidelines and understand that fees and requirements are subject to periodic review and change.
Signature: _____________________________
Date: _____________________________
Organization (if applicable): _____________________________
Effective 01/02/2025