Accreditation Fees

This fee can be paid during the registration process.

CME Credits (offered though ACCME)	$50
CEU Credits for Genetic Counselors (offered though NSGC)	$50
CEU Credits for Clinical and Molecular Laboratory Directors (P.A.C.E.®)	$50

 

The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Annual Meeting is a forum for the education of physicians in the field of genetics. By attending invited sessions, symposia, and plenary and platform presentations, physicians will receive both a broad overview of the field and information about the most recent, detailed research on the topic of the session. By attending any of the activities, physicians will better understand the basic science that underlies clinical practice.

Statement of Need

It is important that physicians comprehend the basic science that underlies clinical medicine. The American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting is the premier venue for this educational opportunity. Physicians learn about the most up-to-date, cutting-edge discoveries regarding genetics.

Target Audience

This meeting is targeted to research scientists, clinical and laboratory practitioners, and others interested in the field of human genetics. The program is varied so that participants may select from several concurrent sessions those that fit their specialized research interests and clinical practice applications.

ASHG Annual Meeting attendees include:

• Scientists/Researchers
• Laboratory geneticists, directors, technicians, and technologists
• Educators
• Medical and clinical geneticists
• Physicians of all specialties with an interest in genetics, genomics, and the genetic basis of disease
• Genetic counselors
• Nurses
• Biotechnology and pharmaceutical development professionals
• Fellows, trainees, and students

ASHG CME Policies and Procedure

As a joint provider with the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the American Society of Human Genetics plans and implements all of its educational activities in accordance with the ACCME Essentials and Areas and ACCME® Policies to ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor. In accordance with the ACCME® Standards for Commercial Support, everyone (speakers, moderators, platform presenters, all authors, committee members, and staff) who is in a position to control the content of an educational activity certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ is required to disclose all financial relationships with any commercial interests (see definition below) within the past 12 months that creates a real or apparent conflict of interest. Individuals who do not disclose are disqualified from participating in a CME activity.

Individuals with potential for influence or control of CME content include:

• planners, planning committee members, staff
• authors
• others who participate, e.g., facilitators and moderators

This disclosure pertains to relationships with: pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or other corporations whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the presentation topic. Any real or apparent conflicts of interest related to the content of the presentations must be resolved prior to the educational activity. Disclosure of off-label, experimental or investigational use of drugs or devices must also be made known to the audience.

ASHG’s Policy and Procedure for Identifying and Resolving Conflict of Interest for CME Educational Activities

The ACCME Standards of Commercial Support (SCS) describe six Standards: (1) independence (2) resolution of personal conflicts of interest (3) appropriate use of commercial support (4) appropriate management of associated commercial promotion (5) content and format without commercial bias and (6) disclosures relevant to potential commercial bias. These updated Standards underscore continued voluntary self-regulation by the CME community, ensuring that physicians have opportunities to engage in commercially unbiased life-long learning facilitated by accredited providers. The purpose of this policy is twofold: [1] to establish guidelines and a mechanism for identifying and resolving conflicts of interest in CME educational activities as required in Standard 2 (see below), and [2] to be consistent with ASHG’s policy for resolving conflicts of commitment and interest. Regardless of role, disclosure forms for speakers, moderators, all authors, program committee and staff participating in a CME activity will collected reviewed.

Standard 2: Resolution of Personal Conflicts of Interest in the Standards for Commercial Support requires the following of ACCME accredited providers:

• Documenting that everyone who is in a position to control the content of an education activity has disclosed to the provider all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests in any amount within the past 12 months that creates a conflict of interest. (SCS 2.1)
• Disqualifying individuals who do not disclose from participating in a CME education activity. (SCS 2.2)
• Identifying and resolving all conflicts of interest prior to the education activity. (SCS 2.3)

ASHG’s Procedures to Identify/Resolve Conflict

• All individuals with potential for influence or control of content (defined in #2 above) must complete an ASHG’s Disclosure Form prior to the education activity as a condition of invitation and acceptance to participate. ASHGG staff, Program Committee members are also required to complete an annual disclosure form.

• An independent and unbiased assessment of content will be documented by one of the following methods to identify and resolve COIs.

• Content review by the program planning committee

• Peer review committee are not participating in the specific educational activity.

• Disclosures of all individuals participating in the educational activity will be made known to the audience as required by the ACCME, in addition to a disclosure of any COIs that have been resolved with independence and without bias.

• Speakers will be required to verbally and include a disclosure slide (1st slide) identifying commercial relationships/interests or if none. Additionally, they must inform the audience prior to the presentation of any discussion of off-label use.

Consequences of Non-adherence to ACMG’s Policy

• Disqualified from speaking if no disclosure form is completed (SCS 2.2)

• Warning letter if the activity evaluation by the audience and session monitor comments indicates conflicts are present (1st occurrence)

• Not invited to speak or participate in any other role in a ASHG CME-certified educational activity (2nd occurrence)

Continuing Medical Education Credits (CMEs)

Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and American Society of Human Genetics. The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

ASHG will apply for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). The American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) will accept CMEs and certificate of credits for MDs, MDs/PhDs, PhDs, or DOs participating in the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program in any ABMGG specialty.

Procedures

There is a nonrefundable $50 fee payable during the registration process. You can apply for credits through the online application available beginning Friday, October 18, 2019.The deadline to submit your request is Friday, November 29, 2019. Attendees may use the mobile application or the Program-at-a-Glance to help track the sessions they attended.

Content Validation and Fair Balance

1. ASHG follows the ACCME policy on Content Validation for CME activities, which requires:
   1. All recommendations involving clinical medicine must be based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients.
   2. All scientific research referred to, reported, or used in CME in support or justification of patient care recommendations must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.
2. Activities that fall outside the definition of CME/CE, “Educational activities that serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a physician uses to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession” (source: ACCME and AMA), will not be certified for credit. CME activities that promote recommendations, treatment, or manners of practicing medicine or pharmacy that are not within the definition of CME/CE or, are known to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits or, are known to be ineffective in the treatment of patients.
3. Presentations and CME/CE activity materials must give a balanced view of therapeutic options; use of generic names will contribute to this impartiality. If the CME/CE educational materials or content includes trade names, where available, trade names from several companies must be used.

Off-Label or Unapproved Use of Drugs or Devices

It is the policy of the ASHG to require the disclosure of all references to off-label or unapproved uses of drugs or devices prior to the presentation of educational content. The audience is advised that this continuing medical education activity may contain reference(s) to off-label or unapproved uses of drugs or devices. Please consult the prescribing information for full disclosure of approved uses.

Disclosure Statement

In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the policy of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), speakers and moderators presenting in sessions that offer CME and CEU credit must disclose, prior to the start of their presentations, the existence of any relevant financial interest and/or other relationship(s) they might have with the manufacturer(s) or provider(s) of any commercial product(s) or service(s), including diagnostic laboratories to be discussed during their presentation. These disclosures are included in the Disclosure section of this program guide.

Speakers with disclosures are required to provide a slide that states any relevant financial relationships (or lack thereof), and to state these to the audience at the start of their presentation. All disclosures have been peer reviewed by the ASHG Program subcommittee.

Diagnostic and Testing Labs and Commercial Interest

ASHG CME activities adhere to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Standards for Commercial Support. The ACCME has defined under its conflict of interest definition the types of industry interests that must be excluded from CME content delivery. This largely applies to manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and devices. Diagnostic laboratories, whether not-for-profit or for-profit, that are not owned by device manufacturers are exempted from this CME requirement. However, they are still expected to be fair and balanced in their presentations.

HIPAA Compliance by Speakers

The ASHG supports medical information privacy. While the ASHG is not a “covered entity” under HIPAA 1996 and therefore is not required to meet these standards, ASHG wishes to take reasonable steps to ensure that the presentation of individually identifiable health information at ASHG-sponsored events has been properly authorized. All presenters have completed a form indicating whether they intend to present any form of individually identifiable healthcare information. If so, they were asked either to attest that a HIPAA-compliant consent form is on file at their institution, or to send ASHG a copy of the ASHG HIPAA compliance form. This information is on record at the ASHG offices and will be made available upon request.

Disclaimer

The opinions and recommendations expressed by faculty, authors, and other experts whose input is included in this program are their own and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of ASHG.

Continuing Education Unit Credits (CEUs) for Genetic Counselors

ASHG will apply for Category 1 CEU credits for genetic counselors through the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC). NSGC is approved as an authorized provider of continuing education and training by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

Procedures

There is a nonrefundable $50 fee payable during the registration process. You can apply for credits through the online application available beginning Friday, October 18, 2019.The deadline to submit your request is Friday, November 29, 2019. Attendees may use the mobile application or the Program-at-a-Glance to help track the sessions they attended.

Genetic Counselors and Nurses should apply for CEUs. The American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) will accept CEUs earned at this program for the purposes of certification and recertification.

Continuing Education Unit Credits (CEUs) for California-Licensed Clinical and Molecular Laboratory Directors (P.A.C.E.®)

ASHG will apply for Continuing Education Units through the Professional Acknowledgment for Continuing Education (P.A.C.E.®) program for California-Licensed Clinical and Molecular Laboratory Directors.

Procedures

There is a nonrefundable $50 fee payable during the registration process. You will need to pick up your CEU packet in the ASHG Meeting Office. You can apply for credits through the online application available beginning Friday, October 18, 2019. The deadline to submit your request is Friday, November 29, 2019. Attendees may use the mobile application or the Program-at-a-Glance to help track the sessions they attended. Please see the section below for the learning objectives, target audience, disclosure policy, and a list of presenters’ financial disclosures.

Clinical Laboratory Scientists should apply for P.A.C.E. CEUs. ABMGG will accept P.A.C.E. CEUs for diplomats participating in the MOC program in the following categories: Clinical Biochemical Geneticist, Clinical Cytogeneticist, and Clinical Molecular Geneticist.

Questions? registration@ashg.org