Journal of CME (10/21/26) Wagner, Pam
Investigators examined funding patterns, educational content and definitions of independence across the global continuing medical education (CME) ecosystem. The analysis found that publishing and education companies received a disproportionate share of industry funding even as the number of providers increased by 52% and per-provider funding declined. Across more than 1,100 educational activities, treatment-selection topics accounted for 75% to 79% of content regardless of specialty or geography, while diagnostic content was largely concentrated on rare diseases. Comparison of accreditation frameworks revealed notable differences in oversight and enforcement, with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education maintaining formal complaint and adverse-action processes, the European Board for Accreditation of Continuing Education for Health Professionals offering a provider appeals mechanism and the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education relying primarily on random spot checks. Overall, the findings suggest that content concentration reflects the structure of the grant-funding model rather than differences among accreditation systems, and that compliance with individual activity standards does not necessarily ensure independence at the ecosystem level. "Quality-driven [continuing professional development] leadership requires portfolio-level visibility, aggregate funding transparency in European accreditation systems and funder responsibilities to diversify grant portfolios across the full clinical landscape," the researchers conclude.
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