Policies and Disclosures

The ACR recognizes that as a lifelong learner who has chosen to engage in CME to identify or fill a gap in knowledge or skill; and to attain or enhance a desired competency you expect and deserve quality educational content. Therefore, the CME opportunities available through the ACR have and will continue to be developed to include:

Rigorously developed content that:

• Responds to the needs of learners based on independent survey or other analyses;
• Promotes improvements and/or quality in the delivery of healthcare;
• Is scientifically rigorous, accurate and evidence-based;
• Has been designed to meet the stated learning objectives;
• Includes balanced and objective presentations free from commercial bias;
• Is evaluated and assessed for its effectiveness in meeting the identified educational need.

Disclosure of:

• Relevant financial relationships with commercial interests (within 12 months) of all individuals involved in the development or presentation of activity content
• Commercial support of the activity

A learning environment that:

• Is based on adult learning principles that encourage the use of various modalities of knowledge transfer;
• Supports learners’ abilities to meet their individual needs and respects their privacy in doing so;
• Respects and attends to any special needs of our learners;
• Is free of promotional, commercial and/or sales activities.

ACR Awarded Accreditation with Commendation >

The ACR fully complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). If an ADA accommodation is required for participation in any ACR meeting or event, notify us using the event registration form and please provide a reliable method of contact for questions and/or follow-up.

For more on the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, visit ADA.gov.

The educational needs of rheumatologists span the breadth and depth of the medical knowledge base of the specialty. For purposes of certification and maintenance of certification, the American Board of Internal Medicine Subspecialty Board on Rheumatology has defined several broad categories, with associated subtopics, in its examination blueprint.

Clinical content presented at ACR activities falling under the categories in the Blueprint and their subtopics are critical to the certification, ongoing competency and quality of care provided by physicians and health professionals to those with or at risk for arthritis and other rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

ACR’s CME Mission Statement >

ACR educational activities are not public events. Information presented at these activities is for the education of attendees and/or purchasers as authorized by the ACR.  Any materials or information displayed during these activities are the property of the ACR and the presenter and should not be photographed, copied, photocopied, transferred to electronic formats, reproduced or distributed without written permission of the ACR and the presenter.

Any use of ACR educational content for commercial purposes, which includes but is not limited to oral presentations, audiovisual materials used by speakers and/or program handouts without written consent from the ACR is prohibited. This policy applies before, during and after each activity. The ACR will enforce its intellectual property rights and penalize those who infringe upon it.

The names, insignias, logos and acronyms of the ACR, the ARHP and the Foundation are proprietary marks. Use of these in any fashion, by any entity, for any purpose, is prohibited without the express written permission of the ACR.

It is the policy of the ACR  to ensure that CME activities are independent and free of commercial bias. To ensure educational content is objective and balanced, and guarantee content presented is in the best interest of its learners' and the public, the ACR requires that everyone in a position to control content disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest occurring within the past 12 months. If there are relationships that create conflict of interest, these must be resolved, in accordance with the ACR’s policies regarding resolution of conflict of interest, prior to the individual’s participation in the development or presentation of CME content. Any individual who refuses to disclose relevant financial relationships will be disqualified from involvement in the development, management, presentation or evaluation of the CME activity. Disclosure information is made available to learners prior to the start of activity.

Faculty participating in an ACR-sponsored activity must disclose to the planning committee and audience any financial or other relationship(s) including, but not limited to:

1. Stock, stock options or bond holdings in a for-profit corporation or self-directed pension plan
2. Research grants
3. Employment (full or part-time)
4. Ownership or partnership
5. Consulting fees or other remuneration (payment)
6. Non-remunerative positions of influence such as officer, board member, trustee or public spokesperson
7. Receipt of royalties
8. Speakers' bureau
9. Other

More on commercial support >