DATE: Thursday, January 20, 2005
PLACE: UH C 455 4:00 p.m.

PRESIDING: Jacob Jay Lindenthal, Ph.D., Dr. PH, Chair for Continuing Medical Education Committee (CMEC)

ATTENDANCE: Stephen R. Baker, M.D., Anthony V. Boccabella M.D., Edward J. Flynn, Ph.D., Geordie Grant, M.D., Mark Jordan, M.D., Tristan M. Nelsen, Madeline Ortiz, Kenneth Swan, M.D., Judy Washington, M.D., Patricia Wrobbel

EXCUSED: Marion Cohen, Ph.D., John T. Capo, M.D., Hugh E. Evans, M.D, Robert Fechtner, M.D., Jonathan S. Harrison, M.D., Robert Orsetti, Kathryn Pokorny, Ph.D., Michael Schulder, M.D., and Alex S. Stagnaro-Green, M.D.

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CALL TO ORDER:

The meeting was called to order at 4:50p.m.

SALIENT ISSUES:

• Dr. Lindenthal introduced the newest member of the committee, Dr. Anthony V. Boccabella of the Department of Radiology. Dr. Boccabella will serve as a NJMS representative to the UMDNJ Conflict of Interest Committee.
• Ms. Wrobbel discussed future workshops designed to instruct members of the faculty and administration and others interested in mounting Continuing Medical Education programs. The ninety-minute luncheon seminars will review topics including conflict of interest, logistics, securing necessary approvals, completion of documents, advertising, registration, and appropriate professional credit, funding and fee structure. The date and time of these seminars will be established within the next week.
• Dr. Grant suggested that in order to generate faculty interest a formal letter be sent from Dr. Lindenthal on behalf of the committee inviting NJMS faculty and members of the administration to attend each workshop.
• Dr. Lindenthal announced that Dr. Emmanuel Golden, President of the NJMS Faculty Organization, has agreed to write an email urging members of the faculty to attend the workshops.
• Dr. Boccabella presented a report on the first meeting of the UMDNJ Conflict of Interest Committee, New Jersey Medical School group, held earlier in the day. He stressed that new initiatives were necessary on the part of those involved with CME in view of the increasing close association between pharmaceutical companies and medical faculties, who play a variety of roles in the creation, testing, evaluation, dissemination and distribution of pharmaceuticals. The integrity of the teaching function is being concomitantly being opened to question. The Conflict of Interest Committee will focus on formulating a policy for CME programs to resolve the conflict of interest issues. The CMEC will serve as an advisory group to the NJMS representatives on the Conflict of Interest Committee.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 16th at 4:15p.m at UH C455.