CE Guidelines

WORLDSymposium Continuing Education (CE) Guidelines

Purpose and Definition

CE Satellite Symposia are 60-minute (1 hour) independently developed accredited educational activities held in conjunction with WORLDSymposium 2025. CE Symposia must be developed by a CE Provider (hereinafter named Provider). The symposia must be open to all WORLDSymposium attendees at no charge, and all satellite symposium attendees must be registered for WORLDSymposium. These symposia are not part of the WORLDSymposium 2025 official educational program and the sessions and content are not endorsed by the WORLDSymposium Planning Committee. Approval is not provided by WORLDSymposium 2025. CE approval must be obtained from an accredited provider, and all fees related to accreditation are the responsibility of the Provider.

Guidelines

The following guidelines are designed to assist interested parties in the application process to present a CE Satellite Symposium in conjunction with WORLDSymposium. The guidelines are based on policies approved by the WORLDSymposium Planning Committee and outline policies, processes, and other information to help plan a relevant educational activity. All Providers must also be in compliance with all terms and conditions of the WORLDSymposium 2025 Exhibitor Prospectus that apply to satellite symposia. 

Application/Deposit Requirements 

In order to be considered, a completed Satellite Symposium Application along with a $5,000 non-refundable deposit must be submitted to reserve a satellite symposium session. A subject or general topic area must be included on the Application.

Submission Deadline – October 1, 2024

The deadline to submit Satellite Symposium Applications is October 1, 2024. Satellite Symposia sessions will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, based on receipt of both the non-refundable deposit and completed Satellite Symposia Application. Once all available satellite sessions are assigned, no additional Satellite Symposium Applications will be accepted. After October 1, 2024, a $2,500 late application fee will apply. No new applications will be considered after January 1, 2025.

Satellite Requirements 

Satellite Symposia are limited to the times listed on the Satellite Symposium Application. Proposed topics, faculty, and objectives are reviewed by the WORLDSymposium Planning Committee and scheduled based on the quality of the proposed program and ability to complement the official educational sessions selected for presentation at WORLDSymposium 2025. The information presented must be balanced and provide the attendee with an objective viewpoint. Satellite symposia will be assigned to open satellite times on a first-come first-served basis, however the WORLDSymposium Planning Committee will seek to avoid any direct topic or content conflicts between satellites assigned during the same time slots. 

Fees 

Satellite Symposium fees to WORLDSymposium 2025 in the amount listed on the Satellite Symposium Application allow the Provider to plan for a 60-minute (1 hour) satellite symposium to be presented at WORLDSymposium 2025. (All fees must be paid in full no later than October 1, 2024, or the symposium will be canceled and released to other sponsors.)  

For all Satellite Symposia, the fee includes:

  • Meeting room rental and theater-style set 
  • Standard AV support: Front (direct) projection, lectern laptop for speaker, projection screen, confidence monitor, laser pointer, lectern or lavaliere microphone for speakers, panel table microphones, (1) wireless handheld microphone, speaker timer, lighting, and sound technician
  • Two (2) Badge Scanners at door for attendance monitoring
  • Table outside meeting room 
  • Two (2) Satellite Symposium announcement emails. Provider to supply PDF, WORLDSymposium to create and send email.
  • The PDF will be included in the Virtual Bag on the mobile app and on the On Demand Platform. It will also be include on the WORLDSymposium website. The same PDF file must be used in all places, including the announcement emails.
  • Activity information posted on WORLDSymposium website, onsite signage and listing on mobile app
  • Designated On Demand session page on the WORLDSymposium 2025 On Demand platform
  • Session will be recorded at the time of presentation. Any post-presentation editing requested by the Provider will be at Provider’s expense.
  • On Demand attendee analytics, which includes views, watch time, and general demographics, but does not include individuals’ names or institutions.
  • Session will be available On Demand until March 14, 2025

It is the responsibility of the Provider to cover all other costs related to the Satellite Symposia, including speaker expenses and any print or digital materials, signage, etc. The Provider will bear the costs associated with any direct marketing and promotional activities or logistical requirements. 

Food Policy: The Physician Payment Sunshine Act, part of the Affordable Care Act, requires that manufacturers of drugs and devices report to CMS certain payments and items of value given to physicians. These items of value include meals at CE activities, such as satellite symposia. For this reason, food and refreshments at the satellite symposia held at WORLDSymposium 2025 will be provided by WORLDSymposium and paid for out of general meeting registration fees. For this reason, food and refreshments at the satellite symposia held at WORLDSymposium 2025 will be provided by WORLDSymposium and paid for out of general meeting registration fees.

Satellite Symposium Management Services 

WORLDSymposium is pleased to offer comprehensive management and coordination for your satellite program on a fee-for-service basis. Please contact Eli Sananes at esananes@etherio.com if you are interested in receiving a quote for symposium management services.

CE Requirements 

The Provider will be required to develop the content of the session, including the title of the session, recommended faculty, and specific learning goals and objectives that clearly meet the educational needs of the target audience. NOTE: While WORLDSymposium will not approve any Satellite Symposia for CE, WORLDSymposium does require all Symposia intending to be held for credit to be approved for CE by an accredited Provider. All proposed topics and faculty will be reviewed and approved by the WORLDSymposium 2025 Planning Committee taking the following into consideration: 

Topic must be related to current lysosomal disease professionals’ practice, and programming should be developed so as to provide attendees with novel and innovative approaches to the issues impacting the field of lysosomal disease professionals. 

The educational content and activity must be designed and presented in accordance with the standards established by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the American Medical Association’s Ethical Opinion on Continuing Medical Education and Gifts to Physicians, the Food and Drug Administration regulations regarding Industry-supported Scientific and Educational Activities, the PhRMA code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals, and the Office of Inspector General Compliance Program Guidance for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers. It is strongly recommended that appropriate source and reference citations accompany all data presented in slides and program materials.

Program content is to be free of commercial bias for or against any product, should not include any commercial logos, and should include appropriate disclosure of commercial relationships and discussion of uses by speakers. 

Content and format of a CE activity or its related materials must promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial interest or entity.

Editorial Practices

In all session titles, references and educational materials, it is WORLDSymposium’s editorial practice to eliminate the term “storage” in the context of “lysosomal storage disease”. Read our editorial practices here.

Payment and Cancellation Policy 

Upon receipt of the Satellite Symposium Application and Deposit, WORLDSymposium will send confirmation of approval, scheduled date and time, and an invoice to the contact person designated on the Satellite Symposium Application. Payment must be made within 30 days of invoice receipt or approval will be denied and the program will be cancelled.

A $5,000 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve a satellite symposium time. Payment in FULL is due by October 1, 2024. Cancellations prior to October 1, 2024, will be refunded satellite symposium fees minus the $5,000 non-refundable deposit. After October 1, 2024, no refunds for cancelled symposia will be given. 

Provider acknowledges any payments made to WORLDSymposium for Satellite Symposia are:

  • fees for services, and are not to be paid as educational grant support; and
  • do not exceed the fair market value of the services provided; and
  • are not inconsistent with any internal policy of the Sponsor or Provider governing interactions with healthcare professionals.

Location 

Symposia will be held live at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego in San Diego, CA and will be recorded “as presented” for On Demand access. Meeting room and time assignments will be made on a first-come, first-served basis and at the discretion of the WORLDSymposium Planning Committee based on symposia topics and available time slots. 

Scheduling 

WORLDSymposium policy prohibits competing activities with official WORLDSymposium educational programming. WORLDSymposium will only assign specific times for symposia, as noted on the Satellite Symposium Application. 

Letter of Agreement 

The WORLDSymposium Satellite Symposium Application must be completed and signed by the Provider. No additional letter of agreement is necessary from WORLDSymposium. 

If a Letter of Agreement is required by the Provider, the proposed Letter of Agreement must accompany the Application and be signed by the Provider.

Faculty 

The Provider is responsible for including faculty who are qualified to present information on the proposed topic. 

The Provider is responsible for ensuring any ACCME required forms including release forms, HIPAA-compliance privacy forms, disclosure/conflict of interest form are obtained, and the Provider must keep these documents on file. 

International Speakers: All speakers must present in person. If an international speaker is unable to travel at the last minute, a request must be submitted in writing for the speaker to be pre-recorded. The pre-recording is at the cost of the Company. The speaker may not be streamed into the session. No exceptions.

Logistical Considerations 

The Provider is responsible for the costs and logistics of production of all promotional and digital materials, including invitations.

Onsite Signage: WORLDSymposium will place an approved satellite symposium promotional sign in an assigned location. WORLDSymposium will produce one 3 ft. x 7.5 ft. fabric tension stand from artwork submitted by Provider. Stands will be displayed in an area identified by WORLDSymposium starting Monday, February 3, 2025. Provider may move the fabric tension stand to outside of the session room 30 minutes prior to the start of the satellite session, or Provider can request an additional fabric tension stand to be purchased and placed outside of the session room. Alternatively, Provider can produce and ship one sign to be displayed outside the meeting room 30 minutes prior to the start of each session.

Virtual Bag Inserts: WORLDSymposium will include a copy of an approved satellite symposium invitation in the virtual meeting bag. Details will be provided to the contact person designated by the CME Provider. Provider is responsible for all costs incurred for design and development of any digital materials.

In an ongoing effort to promote sustainability and reduce paper waste, WORLDSymposium does not provide printed satellite symposium invitations.

Handouts & Supporting Materials: Copies of any session handouts including designing, printing and shipping, are the responsibility of, and at expense of, the Provider. WORLDSymposium strongly encourages Company to consider printing only those materials that are absolutely necessary.

PDF Downloads & Supporting Materials: Design and development of any digital materials are the responsibility of, and at the expense of, the Provider. 

Industry Representatives: While industry representatives may attend the session, they are prohibited from distributing product-specific literature, and may not assist in registration, distributing session handouts, collecting evaluations, etc. 

CE Approval 

WORLDSymposium does not award CE credit for Satellite Symposia. It is the Provider’s sole responsibility to arrange for approval and bear the associated costs. CE credit must be offered through an entity approved by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). ACCME accredited organizations and/or companies hired to provide CE approval are responsible for the educational content and related CE approval activities, and all pre-conference and on-site logistics. 

CE approval must be documented with the understanding that all relevant standards will be upheld and practiced, and complete the following: 

  • Submit to WORLDSymposium a letter from the Provider designating the amount of credit.
  • Include the appropriate accreditation statement and designation statement in all session publicity containing more than “save-the-date” information.
  • Provide attendees with credit certificates within three weeks of the meeting. 

WORLDSymposium MUST be notified of the accredited Provider and/or medical education and communication company that has been appointed. It will be assumed that the Provider is authorized to develop and implement the satellite symposium.

Marketing, Promotional Materials and Invitations 

WORLDSymposium will:

  • post the satellite symposium information on the WORLDSymposium website and listing on mobile app. 
  • allow the Provider to provide a PDF file of the satellite symposium invitation for the virtual meeting bag. 
  • WORLDSymposium 2025 will send out two (2) Satellite Symposium announcement emails to the pre-registration list during the week of January 6, 2025 and again during the week of January 20, 2025 if the final WORLDSymposium approved PDF is received from Provider no later than December 20, 2024.
    • WORLDSymposium does not format the proposed content in any way, all content must be submitted as a 1-page PDF with all pertinent program details. This PDF should be optimized for WEB viewing, NOT for print. This PDF should be a single page, and be no larger than a 1 MB file. 
    • The same content will be used for both mailings. 
    • Instructions on how to submit the PDF content will be provided to all satellite coordinators in November, 2024. 
    • Additional promotion is the responsibility of the Provider. 

WORLDSymposium does not provide pre-registration lists of any kind.

Promotion and Distribution Methods 

WORLDSymposium MUST review and approve any and all promotional activities and/or digital and printed materials prior to distribution or printing.

WORLDSymposium does not provide the pre-registration list. WORLDSymposium will not release email addresses or physical addresses of faculty or attendees.

All promotional materials and signage for Industry Supported Satellite Symposia MUST include the following wording on the first page of the promotional material: 

“WORLDSymposium™ has reviewed and approved this Satellite Symposium as appropriate for presentation as an independent educational activity held in conjunction with WORLDSymposium 2025. This Satellite Symposium is not part of the official WORLDSymposium program, and WORLDSymposium does not approve or endorse any commercial products or services discussed during the Satellite Symposium or offered for sale by the corporate supporter of the Satellite Symposium. This Satellite Symposium is not approved for CE by WORLDSymposium. This Satellite Symposium is approved for CE credit by (add Provider here).

Eligibility: Registration for WORLDSymposium 2025 and an official WORLDSymposium badge are required to attend this satellite symposium.” 

All other uses of the WORLDSymposium name or logo are prohibited on any marketing or promotional materials for the satellite symposium. Satellite sponsor may reference WORLDSymposium on social media posts and communication as noted in the “Exhibitor and Satellite Marketing Kit“.

All materials (promotional and CE activity related) MUST also include the proper Accreditation Statements. 

Liability and Indemnification 

Provider and supporting Company take full responsibility and will indemnify and hold harmless WORLDSymposium and the WORLDSymposium 2025 Planning Committee and their officers, directors, members, agents, and employees from any and all liability arising from or associated with the Satellite Symposium. 

Provider shall have no involvement or control over any of the following for WORLDSymposium 2025 Annual Scientific Sessions:

  • Identification of CE needs;
  • Determination of CE educational objectives;
  • Selection and presentation of CE content;
  • Selection of all persons and organizations that will be in a position to control the content of the CE;
  • Selection of CE educational methods;
  • Evaluation of the CE activity.

By submitting the Satellite Symposium Application, Provider agrees to all requirements, rules, and regulations contained in the WORLDSymposium 2025 Exhibitor Prospectus.

Content last updated on August 1st, 2024 at 12:15 pm