Sponsorship opportunities

BioSymposia welcomes financial or other support for its educational and professional development activities. BioSymposia, as a non-profit corporation, is committed to offering scientists and healthcare professionals access to high quality accredited educational programs and other activities without significant cost. Financial and other support from third parties makes such access possible.

Various opportunities for providing support exist. Potential sponsors are advised that certain restrictions apply to funding for activities, particularly accredited educational activities.

1. Joint Sponsorship or Co-Sponsorship of Accredited Activities: BioSymposia may partner with third parties to offer accredited educational activities. Partnership opportunities exist for third parties that are not accredited educational providers as well as for third parties that are accredited educational providers.
• Joint Sponsorship with Non-Accredited Educational Provider: BioSymposia may plan and present one or more educational programs with third parties that are not accredited educational providers as "joint sponsors." Joint sponsors may share the expenses of the educational programs. BioSymposia retains responsibility for ensuring that the joint sponsorship arrangement and educational program complies with applicable accreditation standards. 
• ACCME Essential Areas and Standards for Commercial Support of Continuing Medical Education 
• American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC) Guidelines for Commercial Support of Continuing Nursing Education
• Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Criteria for Quality and Interpretive Guidelines

BioSymposia requires that joint sponsors enter into an agreement with BioSymposia designating their respective responsibilities and expectations.

 

Important Note: BioSymposia may not jointly sponsor an accredited continuing medical education activity with any organization that holds a commercial interest (i.e., any proprietary entity producing healthcare goods and/or services other than non-profit or government organizations and non-health care related companies).

• Co-Sponsorship with Accredited Educational Provider: BioSymposia may plan and present one or more educational programs with third parties that are accredited as "co-sponsors." Co-sponsors may share the expenses of the educational programs as well as responsibility for ensuring that the educational program complies with applicable ACCME, ANCC and ACPE accreditation standards. BioSymposia requires that co-sponsors enter into an agreement with BioSymposia designating their respective responsibilities and expectations. Each accredited provider will have full access to all educational activity related information.
2. Commercial Support for Accredited Activities: BioSymposia may only accept financial or in-kind support for its accredited educational activities in the form of an unrestricted grant. Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Standards for Commercial Support of Continuing Medical Education require compliance with certain standards to ensure that accredited activities are free from commercial bias. Consistent with these accreditation requirements, third parties that provide an unrestricted grant may not control how the grant funds are used or otherwise influence the educational program(s) funded by the grant. (Third parties may allocate grant funds to a particular educational program.) Third parties that provide unrestricted educational grants must enter into an agreement in compliance with the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support of Continuing Medical Education. The BioSymposia standard agreement states that BioSymposia, as the accredited educational provider, will control program content and selection of speakers, disclose all financial relationships, ensure objectivity and fair balance, provide for meaningful opportunities for questioning or scientific debate and furnish a report of the expenditure of the funds provided. BioSymposia will disclose all unrestricted grant support in the educational program brochure, syllabi and other activity materials.
3. Sponsorship of Non-Accredited Activities: BioSymposia often plans social or professional events, such as luncheons, cocktail receptions or poster sessions, in connection with educational conferences. These events, which are not accredited, are designed to enhance the educational experience of participants by offering additional opportunities for scientific exchange and professional development. Third parties may sponsor these activities. Sponsorship provides many benefits, such as advertisement at the event. Please contact our Event Planners at 888-854-0800 or registrar@biosymposia.org.
4. Exhibitors at Exhibitions: BioSymposia arranges for an exhibition to take place during designated BioSymposia educational activities. Exhibits are not accredited activities but are expected to enhance the educational experience of participants. Third parties may purchase exhibit space and BioSymposia will often design activity-specific exhibitor packages. Information about current exhibits and standard exhibit packages are available at registrar@biosymposia.org. Interested exhibitors who do not see the right package for their organization should contact us at 888-854-0800 about a customized package.