Providing vendor displays at CME activities is an important source of revenue to support these activities.  CME coordinators need to be aware of several provisions concerning displays before soliciting them (NOTE: It is advised not to “invite” a vendor to display; rather give potential exhibitors the opportunity to “apply to display”). Use the CCME Display Application when soliciting commercial exhibits. This Application is the principal document for accepting displays because it is complies with the Medical Center’s Vendor Interaction Policy and the ACCME’s (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education) Standards for Integrity and Independence. Any form or agreement that the vendor submits may not conflict with the Application, including any suggestion that it is the primary agreement for the vendor display. It is also important that arrangements for commercial exhibits are not permitted to influence planning, interfere with presentations, or be a provision of commercial support (i.e., an educational grant) for the activity.  For live CME activities vendor displays may not set up within the same space or meeting room as the CME activity.  CME coordinators must avoid creating an “obligate” pathway for CME participants when providing vendor display space outside of the meeting room.  That is, participants should not have to pass through a gauntlet of displays to get to the meeting space.

With education being the emphasis of a CME activity, vendors should be encouraged to display educational materials and coordinators should prohibit advertisement materials.  No direct sales may be conducted in the immediate area of the CME meeting, including the display area.

When determining appropriate fees for vendor displays, CME coordinators must take into consideration two factors: The actual cost of providing the display (rental of space and furniture, set up costs, electrical access, security, etc.); and the market value for a display.  Market value is determined by evaluating the fees that all vendors for all CME activities have paid to display over a period of time – usually a year – taking into consideration such variables as the site of the CME activity; the profession and size of the CME audience; the relative premium of the display space; and the prestige of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.  Display pricing may not consider counter offers by vendors; discounts for multiple displays; whether the displaying company has also approved an educational grant; or personal relationships between CME planners and vendors.

While many applicants for vendor displays use CCME’s Application for Displaying at a CME Activity, some companies submit their own display agreement.  Many of these have specific clauses requiring market value pricing.  Activity coordinators should be aware that it takes only one such display agreement to affect the display pricing for all vendors.  Because most vendor display agreements require a legal review and execution, a single such agreement obligates activity coordinators to apply justifiable pricing for all display applications. If conditions are included in the vendor’s display agreement that are more appropriate for an educational grant – such as reporting how the display fee was used, or defining governing law, or conditions regarding debarment – the display agreement should be rejected. All vendors must be advised that the Center for Continuing Medical Education’s Application to Display must be submitted and that its terms take precedence over any terms or conditions in the vendors display agreement.

One other key variable that should be avoided when setting the vendor display fee is the budget for the CME activity.  Setting display fees at prices that best balance the budget, whether well below or above the market value, acts to depress the market value and eventually depressing revenue for other CME activities.  CME coordinators should consult with staff at the Center for Continuing Medical Education for the latest market valuations.