TARGET AUDIENCE
This activity is designed for a primary audience of Cardiologists and Cardiac Care Associates (including Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants), and a secondary audience of other health professionals, such as Endocrinologists and primary care physicians (PCPs), who treat patients with cardiovascular disease and may benefit from this activity.


PURPOSE
The purpose of this CME/CE activity is to assist healthcare providers in improving their understanding of cardiovascular medicine in practice. This CME/CE activity does not provide extensive training or offer certification in cardiovascular fields. The information provided in this CME/CE activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent clinical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient's medical condition.


ACCF LEARNER BILL OF RIGHTS
As an ACCF participant you have the right to expect:

DISCLOSURE POLICY STATEMENTS

UNAPPROVED USE DISCLOSURE
Faculty may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents and/or medical devices/products that is outside of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labeling. This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. If you have questions, contact the medical affairs department of the manufacturer for the most recent information.

Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD, MPH reports receiving research support from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals.
Sherita H. Golden, MD, MHS reports that she received consulting fees from Merck.
Mikhail Kosiborod, MD, FACC reports receiving consulting fees/honoraria from Sanofi-Aventis.
Darren K. McGuire, MD, MHSc, FACC receives grant/research support from Biosite Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline; is a consultant for CV Therapeutics, Inc., sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC, and Tethys Bioscience, Inc.; and is on the speakers bureau for Pfizer Inc and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.
Editorial Support: Steven Haimowitz, MD, and Anya Romanowski, MS, RD, CDN have nothing to disclose.


ACCF's DISCLOSURE/CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
As a provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) must ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in all of their directly sponsored or jointly sponsored educational activities. Provider(s) and faculty participating in a sponsored activity are required to disclose to the audience any significant financial interests or other relationships he/she or a member of their immediate family may have (1) with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) and/or provider(s) of commercial services discussed in an educational presentation and (2) with any commercial supporters of the activity. ACCF is committed to providing its learners with high-quality activities and materials that promote improvements and quality in health care and not a specific proprietary business or commercial interest. The intent of this disclosure is not to prevent participation in sponsored educational activities by persons with a financial or other relationship, but rather to provide learners with information on which they can make their own determination whether financial interests or relationships may influence the credited activity. ACCF assesses conflict of interest (COI) with its faculty, planners, managers, staff and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of CME/CE-credited activities. All relevant potential conflicts of interest that are identified are thoroughly vetted through a process that includes course directors and appropriate peer review by education committee chairs/members, for fair balance, scientific objectivity and validity, and patient care and safety recommendations.
 
ACCF also requires that all faculty disclose their intent to discuss any unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs and/or devices during their presentation.


ACCF MECHANISMS FOR RESOLVING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) requires all accredited providers of CME to have a mechanism in place for identifying and resolving potential conflicts of interest (COI) prior to the educational offering. The ACCME considers financial relationships to create actual conflicts of interest "when individuals have both a financial relationship with a commercial interest and the opportunity to affect the content of CME about the products or services of that commercial interest." A commercial interest is defined as any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) also requires providers of CE to have a mechanism in place for identifying and resolving potential conflicts of interest (COI) prior to the educational offering.  The ANCC considers a conflict of interest "to exist when an individual has an opportunity to affect CE content in relation to a commercial interest with which he/she has a financial relationship". 

The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) has approved the following as a list of potential resolution mechanisms for resolving COI.  Resolution mechanisms will vary depending on the nature of the financial relationship; ACCF staff will notify contributors of the mechanism selected for their activity:

Please Note: 
•    Mechanisms #1-3 will automatically apply to participation in all ACCF credit bearing activities.

ACCF'S LIST OF OPTIONS FOR RESOLVING COI

For CME/CE Activities:

1. Signed Attestation:  By completing and signing the Attestation Section of the Disclosure Form, the contributor agrees that said conflicts or relationships will not bias or otherwise influence their involvement in the CME/CE activity, practice recommendations will be limited to those based on the best available evidence (or absence of evidence), and recommendations will be consistent with generally accepted medical practice.  They also agree to all other mandatory ACCME disclosure guidelines.
   

2. Audience Evaluation:  Attendees will be advised of their right to expect non-biased presentations, and queried regarding their impressions concerning bias (or the absence of bias) within the activity.  Activity Directors and teachers/authors will receive copies of the evaluation summaries and comments. 

3. Author Disclosure:  All author(s) disclosure information will be made available in the beginning of the activity.

4. Follow-up Phone Call:  CME/CE Committee identifies someone to follow-up with contributor by phone to discuss ways to avoid perception of bias due to disclosed relationships. CME/CE staff sends follow-up letter to document resolution.

5. Altering control over content:  An individual's control of CME/CE content can be altered to remove the opportunity to affect content related to the products/services of a commercial interest.  For example:    

    

6. Peer Audit and Evaluation:  An informed peer or member of the planning committee will be present, to evaluate the CME/CE activity.  This evaluator will be asked to complete a formal, detailed evaluation to measure any bias in the activity. 

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
 
While offering CME/CE credits, this activity is not intended to provide extensive training or certification in the field.




CREDIT DESIGNATION
The ACCF designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The ACCF designates this activity for a maximum of 1.5 ANCC contact hours. Attendees should only claim credits commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.


TO OBTAIN CME/CE CREDITS

• Read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures.
• Participate in the activity.
• Complete the posttest and activity evaluation.
• Physicians claiming CME, and Nurses and Nurse Practitioners claiming CE, who successfully complete the posttest and evaluation will receive CME/CE credit.
• All other participants who successfully complete the posttest and evaluation will receive a certificate of participation.

COURSE VIEWING REQUIREMENTS


Release Date: August 7, 2009
Expiration Date: August 31, 2010


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This activity is supported by Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. and sanofi-aventis U.S.




Copyright © 2009 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF). All rights reserved.