he Canadian Institute for the Relief of Pain and Disability (CIRPD) actively solicits sponsorship for its educational and research activities to support CIRPD goals and objectives.

The CIRPD policy governs all sponsorship opportunities offered by the Canadian Institute for the Relief of Pain and Disability (CIRPD) including its main website and associated project websites, electronic collections of articles, online databases, and other types of online products. In addition the sponsorship policy applies to all educational and research grants.

"Sponsorship" refers to payment or other contribution that assists the CIRPD fulfill its mission to reduce unnecessary disability by supporting its educational and research programs. Programs and activities include the creation or translation of research evidence, collections of articles or other types of online products or services appearing on www.cirpd.org as well as other educational and research programs. In return, the CIRPD publicly recognizes the support of the sponsor for a specified period of time.

The integrity and credibility of the CIRPD and its members shall be the overriding consideration in all sponsorship activities. It is in the best interests of both the CIRPD and the sponsor to ensure that CIRPD remains a trusted and credible source of information for all stakeholders. CIRPD recognizes that sponsorship must be pursued only as it does not impede the following core principles:

• editorial independence
• institutional integrity
• consistency with the CIRPD's mission, vision and values

This sponsorship policy is applied by the CIRPD to ensure adherence to these core principles. Where there is a sponsorship relationship between CIRPD and a third party, this relationship shall be transparent and apparent to members and users of CIRPD research and educational services.

The CIRPD may change this policy at any time at its sole discretion by posting and dating a revised policy on www.cirpd.org.

A. Eligibility for Sponsorship

Sponsorship from organizations that manufacture or promote products or services such as tobacco, alcoholic beverages, weapons, gambling or pornography, or products that violate CIRPD policy are not eligible.

Sponsors will not determine specific editorial content or in any way influence editorial decision-making.

Multiple sponsorships are preferred. Single sponsorship will not be accepted in situations where the fact of the sponsorship would raise an inference of influence on editorial content or decision-making, or of CIRPD endorsement of the sponsor or its products and services. For example, single sponsorships are not eligible where the single sponsor manufactures or promotes a product or service that is closely related to the sponsored feature. One exception to the above applies to preferred CIRPD or CIRPD suppliers. Preferred suppliers may be single sponsors of features of the site that are closely related to products or services they manufacture or promote.

The CIRPD reserves the right of final approval of all sponsorship appearing on CIRPD.org and the right to refuse or terminate any sponsorship in its sole and entire discretion.

B. Sponsorship Acknowledgement

The CIRPD will determine the final wording and placement of sponsor acknowledgements.

Sponsorship of specific content or sections of www.cirpd.org will be acknowledged on that section. The acknowledgement wording will be similar to:

"Produced with the support of [Organization X]."
"Produced through an unrestricted educational grant from [Organization X]."

Acknowledgement of sponsorship will not make reference to supporting product(s) other than administrative software/ intranet services. Sponsors will not be permitted to use the sponsorship acknowledgement to promote products or services.

The following will not be permitted other than administrative software/intranet products:

"Produced with the support of [Organization X], makers of [Product Y]."

The acknowledgement of sponsorship may be accompanied by the sponsor's corporate logo provided it is not more prominent than the size of the CIRPD logo appearing on that portion of the site. Prominence of logos will be determined by the CIRPD.

A corporate logo accompanying the acknowledgement of sponsorship may link to the sponsor's website. The user will be informed that by proceeding, the user will be leaving www.cirpd.org and that the CIRPD does not assume any responsibility for material on the linked site. Such links must permit the user to return to www.cirpd.org.

The CIRPD reserves the right to not link, or to remove links, to other websites.

CIRPD logos may not appear on any other Websites, including the sponsoring organization's website, or promotional material without prior written approval.

Sponsors may refer to the fact that they have sponsored a portion of www.cirpd.org in their promotional material and efforts, but no characterization of the sponsorship relationship shall be taken or used as evidence of CIRPD endorsement of the sponsor or of any of the sponsor's products or services. The CIRPD will work with the sponsor to develop appropriate wording.

Implementation

CIRPD President and Executive Director of CIRPD is entrusted with implementation.

Conference Sponsorship

CIRPD abides by the policy of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) concerning Industry/Company Sponsorship as well as abides by the Canadian Medical Association related policies and Code of Ethics regarding pharmaceutical and other Industry Sponsorship of education and research projects. CIRPD is not an accredited member of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education as it is not primarily in the business of providing continuing medical courses, however, CIRPD does seek accreditation from accredited members, and therefore abides by the standards established by the approving body.

General Principles Regarding Sponsorship (Adapted from ACCME)

1. Statement of Purpose: Program is for scientific and educational purposes only and will not promote the company's products, directly or indirectly.
2. Control of Content & Selection of Presenters & Moderators: CIRPD and the Scientific Planning Committee is solely responsible for control of content and selection of presenters and moderators. All content decisions are not influenced by advertising or sponsorship, and are made without consideration of the advertising or sponsorship. Sponsors and advertisers will not determine specific content or in any way influence decision-making nor will they have the opportunity to review any material prior to publication. Advertisements and sponsorships will not be sold on condition that specific content will be subsequently produced. Advertisements and sponsorships will not be accepted where the fact of the advertisement or sponsorship would raise an inference of influence on content or decision-making, or CIRPD's endorsement of the sponsor or its products or services.
3. Disclosure of Financial Relationships: CIRPD will ensure meaningful disclosure to the audience, at the time of the program, of (a) Company funding and (b) any significant relationship between the CIRPD and the Company (e.g., grant recipient) or between individual speakers or moderators and the Company.
4. Involvement in Content: There will be no "scripting", emphasis, or direction of content by the Company or its agents.
5. Ancillary Promotional Activities: No promotional activities will be permitted in the same room or obligate path as the educational activity. No product advertisements will be permitted in the program room.
6. Objectivity & Balance: CIRPD will make every effort to ensure that data regarding the company's products (or competing products) are objectively selected and presented, with favorable and unfavorable information and balanced discussion of prevailing information on the product(s) and/or alternative treatments.
7. Limitations on Data: CIRPD will ensure, to the extent possible, meaningful disclosure of limitations on data e.g., ongoing research, interim analyses, preliminary data, or unsupported opinion.
8. Discussion of Unapproved Uses: CIRPD will require that presenters disclose when a product is not approved in the Canada for the use under discussion.
9. Opportunities for Debate: CIRPD will ensure meaningful opportunities for questioning or scientific debate.
10. Independence of Company Sponsor in the use of Contributed Funds:

a) Funds should be in the form of an unrestricted educational or research grant made payable to the Canadian Institute for the Relief of Pain and Disability.

b) All other support associated with this CME activity (e.g., distributing brochures, preparing slides, etc.) must be given with the full knowledge and approval of CIRPD.

c) No other funds from the commercial company will be paid to the program director, faculty, or others involved with the CME activity (additional honoraria, extra social events, etc.). The Commercial Supporter agrees to abide by all requirements of the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support of Continuing Medical Education.

CIRPD agrees to: 1) abide by the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support of Continuing Medical Education; 2) acknowledge educational support from the commercial company in program brochures, syllabi, and other program materials, and 3) upon request, furnish the commercial supporter a report concerning the expenditure of the funds provided.

Disclaimer
Neither sponsorship nor the appearance of a sponsorship acknowledgement on www.cirpd.org is a guarantee or an endorsement of claims made for a product or service, nor an endorsement of a manufacturer, distributor or promoter of a product or service.