Assessment Principles:
Each educational event submitted under the Conference Vetting System for assessment is evaluated by the Compliance Officer in accordance with the principles and standards set out in the Mecomed Code of Ethical Business Practice. Image and perception projected to the public when industry wishes to support a particular event are determinant in the assessment decisions under CVS.
Please note that:
The rendered decisions are based on the documents and information provided to the Compliance Officer via the online submission form. The Compliance Officer does not independently verify whether the information or documents are up to date.
Decisions do not take into account nor supplant national and local laws, regulations or professional and company codes that may impose more stringent requirements upon members or Healthcare Organizations or Healthcare Professionals.
Educational event scientific program sessions are reviewed, but not the value of their scientific content.
The sole purpose of the System is to assist corporate members in determining whether or not to sponsor third party educational events.
The review process is based on a set of 7 criteria of equal weight in the assessment process, as follows:
1: The scientific program
The detailed program should present a clear schedule with no gaps during the event scientific sessions, (i.e., a minimum of 6 hours for full conference day/ 3 hours for a half day), the faculty for each session must be identified, the session topics must be serious medical subjects.
The program content should directly relate to specialty and/or medical practice of the HCP who will attend the event or have a sufficiently reasonable relationship to justify the attendance of the HCPs.
2: The geographic location
The geographic location should not be the main attraction of the conference. It should be in or near a city or town which is a scientific or business center conducive to exchange of ideas and the transmission of knowledge.
The selected time of the year will be taken into account in determining if a geographic location is appropriate.
3: The event venue
The event venue should be a business or commercial center providing conference facilities conductive to the exchange of scientific and medical information and the transmission of knowledge. The image of the location among the public, media and authorities cannot be perceived as purely luxury, touristic/holiday and/or entertainment venue.
CVS does not look into the financial advantage that a venue rental may present.
4: Hospitality
Hospitality includes Accommodation, meals/breaks and receptions (opening reception, gala dinner). It is important to differentiate hospitality which is permitted and entertainment which is not.
Hospitality should be limited to reasonable hotel accommodation and meals, coffee breaks, and a conference dinner or co*cktail reception to which all HCP delegates are expected to attend.
The hospitality offered to spouses, partners, family and/or guests – this category of person may not benefit from hospitality sponsored by Mecomed members.
The appropriateness of accommodation – Mecomed members funds to third party events cannot be used to pay for or reimburse HCP lodging expenses at top category, luxury or resort hotels.
5: Registration fees
The registration fee should cover only the scientific program, authorized activities and hospitality.
Spouses, partners, family and/or guests’ packages may not be paid for by Mecomed Members – This category of person may not register for the event or participate in the scientific program (unless he or she is a qualified HCP with a legitimate interest in the program).
Any social, sporting and/or leisure activities or other forms of entertainment must be outside of the program schedule and paid for separately by the HCP delegates. They should not dominate or interfere with the overall scientific content of the program and must be held during times that do not overlap with scientific session.
6: Communication support
Advertising support (brochures, website and other materials) should highlight the scientific nature of the program content. They should not emphasize the geographic location and should not make excessive or inappropriate references to or contain images of entertainment, sporting events or other non-scientific activities.
7: Sponsorship Packages:
The 7th criteria is the only difference between Mecomed & MedTech Europe CVS criteria of assessment. Mecomed Compliance Committee decided to add the 7th Criteria for assessment (Sponsorship packages) based on a legitimate need to mitigate risks arising from sponsorship packages in the Mecomed region.
Sponsorship packages should comply with Chapter 1: General Criteria for Events of the Mecomed Code.
Sponsorship packages should be transparent, clearly outlining the value of the sponsorship package options, as well as the different benefits provided under each sponsorship package.
Examples of non-permissible benefits include, but are not limited to, gifts to delegates or speakers, first class tickets, business class tickets for flights less than 5 hours, touristic tours and other entertainment options, such as participation in live music or sports events etc.
It is the responsibility of each Mecomed Member Company to ensure that any free delegate passes distributed under sponsorship packages will not be used for direct HCP Sponsorship and will be allocated via educational grants, without any involvement of the Member Company in the delegate selection process, in accordance with the requirements of the Mecomed Code.
