Nurse Practitioner Education Continuum Council
Commercial Support Policy
1. Principle
Continuing education must prioritize learner benefit and scientific integrity. Commercial interests may support education financially or in-kind only when education remains independent of product promotion.
2. Definitions
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Commercial interest | Entity that produces, markets, sells, or distributes healthcare products used by or on patients (or analogous commercial products in the education context) |
| Commercial support | Financial or in-kind contributions used to pay for some or all of an educational activity |
| Relevant financial relationship | Financial relationship of a planner/faculty with a commercial interest in the past 24 months that relates to content |
3. Requirements when commercial support is accepted
- Written agreement identifying the supporter, amount/nature of support, and independence of content
- Education planners—not the supporter—control objectives, content, faculty, and methods
- Support is disclosed to learners before or at the start of the activity
- Promotional exhibits or product messaging, if any, are clearly separated from education
- No payments to learners solely for attendance that would constitute improper inducement
4. When no commercial support exists
Document “None” in the activity file. Still require faculty COI disclosure.
5. Learner perception of bias
Evaluation instruments should ask whether the activity was free of commercial bias. Reports of bias are reviewed under the Complaint & Appeals Procedure.
6. Violations
Activities that permit commercial control of content, conceal support, or present promotional material as education may lose process-approved status and be subject to corrective action.