In creating an industry relations policy for the Canadian Association of Pediatric Nephrology (CAPN), we acknowledge that:

1.       Industry sponsorship can be inappropriate and can influence prescribing patterns of physicians.

2.       A complete ban on industry sponsorship is not practical, and may not be necessary if appropriate safeguards are put in place.

The Canadian Association of Paediatric Nephrologists employs the following guidelines with respect to continuing medical education practices:

1. CME events are open to CAPN members and invited guests with educational relevance only (students, nursing, allied health). Spouses and other family members and friends who attend must pay for their own meals, including spouses/family members of speakers.
2. Financial support should be fully disclosed to participants (COI slide, promotional materials)
3. Content of the meeting or session must be determined by the speaker, not the sponsor (i.e. Unrestricted educational grant)
4. The speaker(s) must provide a fair and balanced discussion of the current science and treatment options, including competing products of the sponsor when appropriate
5. The speakers take responsibility that their comments are their own, and not necessarily those of their institution or the sponsor
6. Compensation is reasonable and limited to reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses and an honorarium proportional to the defined service.  Reasonable expenses are considered economy return travel, taxi to and from event/airport/hotel, hotel accommodations for the event, per diem food allowance and speaker honoraria.
7. Compensation for travel is offered only to speakers, not attendees
8. Industry representatives are not allowed to make formal presentations at CAPN CME events
9. Generic names are used, whenever possible
10. Industry sponsored CAPN events will not interfere with educational events of the main conference
11. All industry sponsorship of meetings and guideline creation will take the form of an unrestricted educational grant that comes into CAPN and is distributed as per CAPN executive directions.

Proposed initiatives going forward:

1.       CME events should meet the criteria for CME/ CPD of an accredited Canadian Faculty of Medicine. This would allow the event to be officially eligible for CME credits

2.       Food may be provided at CME events, but alcohol should be limited if provided at no cost to the attendees. The executive proposes that at future meetings that attendees will receive 2 drink tickets for their complimentary beverages. Beyond that attendees will need to pay for their own alcohol. This also has the added benefit of releasing CAPN from responsibility for those who consume alcohol at our events (e.g. someone drinks and drives after an event at which we provided the alcohol).

Ratified April 20, 2015