GUIDELINES TO PHARMACEUTICAL & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

CERTIFICATION/COLLABORATING/ORGANIZING OF CONTINUINING MEDICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES/MEETINGS

The function of the Association when it accredits and seeks Continuing Medical Education (CME) on behalf of a pharmaceutical company or other organization is to ensure the quality and integrity of the educational content provided to healthcare professionals. Here’s how it typically works:

Accreditation: The Association acts as an accrediting body that evaluates and approves CME activities offered by pharmaceutical companies or other organizations. The Association sets standards and criteria that these activities must meet to ensure they adhere to best practices, scientific rigor, and educational effectiveness. This process involves reviewing the content, format, faculty qualifications, and instructional methods employed in the CME program.

Quality Assurance: By accrediting CME activities, the Association helps ensure that healthcare professionals receive educational content that is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to their clinical practice. The Association verifies that the content is based on scientific evidence and free from any bias or promotional influence from the pharmaceutical company or organization providing the activity.

Independence: The Association plays a crucial role in maintaining the independence and integrity of the CME process. It ensures that the accredited activities are designed to meet the educational needs of healthcare professionals rather than being promotional or biased towards specific products or services. This independence is essential for preserving the trust of healthcare professionals and safeguarding the credibility of the CME programs.

Oversight: The Association may also monitor and evaluate the implementation of accredited CME activities to ensure they comply with the established standards. This oversight includes collecting feedback from participants, evaluating the effectiveness of the educational content, and identifying areas for improvement.

By accrediting and seeking CME on behalf of pharmaceutical companies or other organizations, the Association plays a vital role in promoting continuous professional development among healthcare professionals while ensuring the educational content meets high standards of quality, independence, and scientific integrity.

The AGPJ  is a member of the NCCME  MCJ-NCCME  which is approved by the Medical Council of Jamaica and is approved to collaborate or co-organize medical meetings with local and international pharmaceutical and or non-pharmaceutical companies requiring CME accreditation for Medical meetings.

Applications for accreditation/certification of CME meetings can be obtained through the AGPJ. For more information on collaborating with us, please contact the Secretariat.

Updated Summary guidelines are outlined below.

Prepare Required Documentation

Provide the following documentation at least 8 weeks before the scheduled CME event (late submission will cause delay in approval of CME Credits):

  1. Complete the Online CME Application Form
    • Link will provide for completion and submission  of the online application.
  2. Detailed Program Agenda
    • Include session times, speakers, titles, and total hours (excluding non-educational segments such as prayers, greetings, sponsor presentations, Q&A, breaks, etc.)
  3. Speaker Biographies
    • Include qualifications and affiliations for each presenter. Speakers should be qualified subject-matter experts.
  4. Learning Objectives
    • Clear, measurable goals that define what participants will learn and how the content improves clinical practice.
  5. Presentation Summaries or Slides
    • Slide decks or outlines to demonstrate evidence-based, non-promotional educational content.
  6. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
    • Signed statements from each presenter and organizer confirming disclosure of any financial or commercial affiliations.
  7. Assessment Method
    • Indicate how learning will be assessed (e.g., post-tests, feedback forms).

MCJ Fee 

A two-tiered fee structure is applied by the Medical Council of Jamaica:

Duration of CME Event MCJ Application Fee
≤ 4 Hours (Half-Day) J$7,500.00
Full Day (> 4 Hours) J$15,000.00

Contact must be made with/discussions held with the Association’s President or Nominee advising him/her of proposed meeting to: – review of the meeting agenda,  rational for meeting,  and outline of the presenter(s) presentation which highlights the objective of the presentation.

Important Notes

  • Accurate Learning Objectives: These should be clearly outlined what participants will learn and how it contributes to their medical practice.
  • Faculty Qualifications: Ensure that instructors are appropriately qualified in the subject matter and can demonstrate expertise.
  • Educational Methods: The program should employ best practices in adult learning, such as interactive activities, didactic sessions, case studies, and opportunities for practical application as relevant.
  • Evidence-based Content: Programs must use the latest medical research and clinical evidence, where applicable.
  • Online CME Activities: Zoom or virtual webinars are acceptable but must be structured similarly to face-to-face CME sessions, including interactivity and proper time documentation. The agenda must also be approved by the accredited organizer as with the face-to-face methodology
  • Credit Allocation: Presenters receive twice the number of hours allocated for their presentation. Attendees receive hours based on actual educational time in attendance at the event.
  •  CME hours do not include opening/closing remarks (unless it is in a presentation format, in line with the theme of the event, and presented by one of the presenters whose information is submitted when making the request). NOTE: prayer, greetings, Q&A sessions, promotional segments, or breaks- not counted for credits.

Submission to Medical Council of Jamaica

We will review all documentation and, upon compliance, submit the application to the MCJ’s Education Subcommittee at least four (4) weeks in advance of the event.

Respond to Council Queries (If Any)

The MCJ may request:

  • Providing further details about the educational program.
  • Clarifying the content or assessment methods.
  • Clarifying the intended audience
  • Clarifying the qualifications of the presenter
  • Updating the program to better align with council requirements.

Prompt responses are required from the co-organizer to avoid delays in approval.

Presentation should be of practical relevance and benefits to the Physicians, and not overtly biased to the Pharmaceutical products etc.

After discussion/review with Association’s President/Nominee:

Pharmaceutical company/body must pay the relevant Medical Council of Jamaica fee (i.e. J$7,500 per day) by direct deposit to National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited, Cross Roads Branch, J$ Savings Account #234117343 (If desired, MCJ fee can be included in the Association invoice to you) and submit confirmation of payment via email to MCJ EMAIL ADDRESS  

Pharmaceutical/other organization must  submit applications via the AGPJ online portal to the Secretariat in a timely manner prior to the event. A minimum timeframe of six (6) weeks is required (but flexibility may be exercised depending on the exigencies of the situation). Applications submitted less that the minimum time-frame prior to a proposed event, will attract an additional administrative cost (US$50).

Pharmaceutica/other organization  must prepare meeting agenda and submit together with  application (using the link on this website – below),  proof of payment of MCJ fee of J$7,500.00/ US$47.00 per day for CME , or include in your application that AGPJ is to include the MCJ cost in the invoice. Invitation and presenter(s) bio data/CV  and the meeting outline must be submitted online or via email.  For Pharmaceutical organizations, no products or  drug should be displayed on the Agenda. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE SUBMITTED TO MCJ WITHOUT PROOF OF PAYMENT OF MCJ’S APPLICABLE FEE (if not requested to be included in the Association’s invoice invoice).

Invitations should display the name or logo of the College as well as the pharmaceutical/other organization requesting credits for the event or meeting.

Invitation(s) should not have the name of any drug displayed thereon and if possible should carry the logo of the college and the Pharmaceutical company or organization, where applicable.

It is recommended that an approved agenda be printed and handed out at the event (if physical meeting)/circulated electronically (for webinars).

A log of attendees with contact details and pre & post-test scores must be submitted to the Secretariat (if applicable)

CME Certificates are to be designed in conjunction with the organizing Association and should not have the name of any drug displayed thereon.

Printing/distribution of the Certificates is the responsibility of the pharmaceutical/other organization (for physical meeting).

Certificates will not be issued without confirmation from the Secretariat that Credits have been confirmed by Medical Council of Jamaica/Caribbean College of Family Physicians (MCJ-NCCME/CCFP-NCCME).

Post-Event Obligations

Following MCJ approval and successful execution of the event:

  1. CME Certificates of Attendance/Participation
    • Accredited Organizer will issue certificates to all verified attendees, detailing approved CME hours and copy of the agenda on the reverse of the certificates
  2. Record Keeping
    • The non-accredited organizer must submit an attendance register and participant evaluations and agenda used for event within 7 days after the event.
  3. Evaluation Summary
    • A brief post-event report or survey results is required for quality assurance.

In co-organizers with to design their Certificates, these should display the following information:

(a) Name and Logo of the Pharmaceutical/Other organization.

(b)  Name and Logo of the Certifying/Collaborating Association and the MCJ/NCCME.

(c) Attendees’ name.

(d) Venue and date of Meeting.

(e) Topic(s) or Theme of Event

(f) Presenter(s) name(s)

(g) CME Hours Approved: ________ hrs

by: MCJ-NCCME and/or CCFP-NCCME

For Licensure Period: ________ (coming year)

(h)  CME Hours Awarded: ___________

(j) Signature of College President or Representative

(k) The event agenda on the reverse of the certificate

It is recommended that Pre-test and post-tests are set by each Presenter and should be administered at the start and end of the meeting. Attendees are required to complete the pre and post-tests to receive certificates of attendance. For virtual events, it is recommended that attendees are in attendance at least for 85% of the webinar/face-to-face meeting, to receive the full credit, otherwise the hours are prorated, based on logged-on time of the attendee or attendance time at face-to-face event (proper time keeping must be maintained).

It is recommended that an Executive of the College or their nominee be invited to attend the meeting to either, welcome, give opening remarks, moderate or give vote of thanks, if possible. Please indicate at the time of discussion of the meeting with the college’s president/nominee how/if he/she will be facilitated at the event.

Timing of events/meetings should avoid clashes with events of Council Members on the Medical Association of Jamaica Annual Calendar (if events are being hosted from Jamaica).

Affiliates: For meeting accreditation (Jamaica only), Administrative fee is US$200 or J$ equivalent, per day plus MCJ fee of J$7,500 per day or as stated above  and is due on presentation of the College’s invoice.

For Regional & Jamaica Accreditation Combined the administrative fee is US$400 or J$ plus MCJ fee applicable fee.

Advisory of Approved CME hours will be sent by email to the pharmaceutical company/organization’s representative requesting the certification of the meeting. If we are required to email certificates on your behalf and you require a report /confirmation that certificates were emailed, please indicate when requesting meeting accreditation/collaboration, by sending a follow-up email to your online application.

Non-Affiliates: For meeting accreditation (Jamaica only), Administrative fee is US$300 plus MCJ Accreditation applicable fee,  and is due on presentation of the College’s invoice to the pharmaceutical company/other organization. For Regional & Jamaica Accreditation the administrative fee is US$400 or J$ equivalent per day plus MCJ applicable fee  or US$ equivalent/day (for non-affiliates, if requesting accreditation for the same meeting through both AGPJ and CCFPR) *see clause re affiliates and non-affiliates.

NOTE: PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ASSOCIATION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING/ADVERTISING THE MEETINGS BEING CERTIFIED FOR PHARMACEUTICAL AND/OR OTHER COMPANIES. IF THIS SERVICE IS REQUIRED IT WILL BE AT AN ADDITIONAL COST TO THE PHARMACEUTICAL OR OTHER COMPANY, AND THE REQUEST MUST BE MADE AT THE TIME OF APPLYING FOR ACCREDITATION

PROMOTION OF EVENT – J$16,000.00/US$160 FOR TWO EMAIL BLASTS

EMAILING OF CERTIFICATES TO ATTENDEES –  J$15,000.00/US$195 (FOR UP TO 1000 ATTENDEES) ADDITIONAL COST IS APPLICABLE AFTER THE FIRST 1,000.

LATE SUBMISSION OF REQUESTS – US$50 OR J$ EQUIVALENT

NOTE: FOR COLLABORATIONS/PARTNERING, PLEASE CONTACT THE SECRETARIAT FOR RATES AND CHARGES

DEFINITIONS: AFFILIATES AND NON-AFFILIATES

*Affiliate and Non-Affiliate Classification

The Association of General Practitioners of Jamaica (AGPJ) classifies organizations into Affiliates and Non-Affiliates to distinguish the nature of our collaborations:

Affiliates: These include medical organizations aligned with the practice of medicine, such as national and regional family medicine associations, healthcare institutions, and academic entities dedicated to advancing family medicine and primary care.

Non-Affiliates: These include pharmaceutical companies, healthcare product manufacturers, and other organizations that support healthcare delivery but are not directly aligned with medical practice. Organizations not related to medicine or healthcare, such as corporate sponsors, are also classified as non-affiliates.

This classification ensures transparency in our collaborations and reinforces our commitment to advancing family medicine and general practice within the Caribbean region.

CME Accreditation Review and Cost Adjustment Clause

The Association of General Practitioners of Jamaica (AGPJ) periodically reviews and revises its Continuing Medical Education (CME) Accreditation requirements for the collaboration of CME activities. These reviews ensure compliance with evolving educational standards and best practices. Additionally, accreditation fees are subject to change based on market conditions and operational costs. AGPJ reserves the right to adjust pricing as necessary and will provide timely notice of any revisions to stakeholders.

It is important that applicants read the most current CME Accreditation Guidelines each time an application is submitted to ensure compliance with the latest requirements and fee structures.

This guideline is valid for 12 months from the date of completion, after which a new and signed  one must be submitted under the updated guidelines.

Applicants are required to download the CME Accreditation Guidelines in PDF format, sign the acknowledgment section, and return a scanned copy to AGPJ via email for our records.

Conclusion

This collaborative process upholds the standards of continuing medical education in Jamaica while allowing commercial and non-accredited organizers to contribute meaningfully to professional development. We encourage early engagement and adherence to timelines to ensure successful accreditation and CME delivery.

 

Acknowledgment and Agreement

I, _____________________________ (Name), acknowledge that I have read and understood the CME Accreditation Guidelines set forth by the Association of General Practitioners of Jamaica (AGPJ). I agree to comply with these guidelines and understand that fees and requirements are subject to periodic review and change.

Signature: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Organization (if applicable): _____________________________

Effective 01/02/2025

Revised 10/06/2025

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