Speaker Guidelines 2023

The International College of Surgeons - United States Section (ICSUS)          
84th Annual Surgical Update –- Hilton Palacio del Rio
San Antonio, Texas - May 4-6, 2023

Speaker/Invited Faculty Responsibilities and Obligations

As part of your agreement with the International College of Surgeons - United States Section (ICSUS) you are required as a speaker or faculty member to meet the following obligations:

1. Content of the CME Activity

According to the standards set forth by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME): the content of a CME activity should be objective, balanced, based on valid and sound scientific studies, and free of commercial bias.  You must ensure that:

• Your presentation and materials reflect all reasonable perspectives.
• Your clinical care recommendations are based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their use.
• All scientific research referred to, reported, or used in CME in support or justification of a patient care recommendation must conform to generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.
• You present opinions based on scientific studies and not on commercial biases.
• The content and format of the activity promotes improvements or quality in healthcare.
• You do not advance, either through the content of your presentation or by its format (e.g., company logos), the proprietary interests, products, or services of commercial organizations.
• When discussing pharmaceutical products and medical devices, you should make every effort to use generic names, both verbally and in print.  Your presentation may include trade names, but if they are used, those of several companies should be used rather than only that of a single company.
• You comply with the ICSUS Policy on Integrity and Independence.

2. Cooperation with ICSUS and other Sponsors

• You must coordinate the planning and implementation of your presentation with the course director and with ICSUS or ICSUS’s designated educational partner.  You must recognize ICSUS’s authority over the planning and implementation of the educational activity as well as comply with all requests for information and meet submission deadlines.
• Regulators require that ICSUS evaluate its CME activities.  You may be asked to complete a brief faculty evaluation of the activity.
• The ACCME requires that ICSUS ensure compliance with its policy regarding Validation of Clinical Content.  As a faculty member, you must make reasonable efforts to ensure that clinical care recommendations, treatments, or manners of practicing presented in the CME activity for which you are responsible are within the definition of CME, are not known to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits, and are not known to be ineffective in the treatment of patients.  As part of our accountability to our regulators, ICSUS may require changes to your content.
• Your primary responsibility is to the learner and to ICSUS.  You must not accept honoraria, payment or arrangements for travel expenses, or any other remuneration from a commercial company for your participation as a faculty member in this educational activity.
• For purposes of this activity, if arranged and approved in advance with the ICSUS Executive Director, ICSUS or its designated educational partner may provide an honorarium and arrange for, or reimburse travel expenses. 

3. Disclosure of Speaker/Faculty Relationships and of Off-label and Investigational Usage of Products

• You must provide all required disclosure information to ICSUS, including completing and returning the Full Disclosure Form.  Information regarding relevant financial relationships will be provided in writing to the activity participants.  If you fail to provide disclosure information or refuse to disclose, you will be ineligible to participate in the development, implementation, or evaluation of this activity.
• If you are determined to have a conflict of interest, you must work with IC-US to resolve that conflict before participation in the planning or implementation of the activity.  Resolution of conflicts may include alteration of content. 
• If after completing the disclosure information a change occurs in your financial relationships; you MUST contact ICSUS to provide this new information and to allow for a review for possible conflict of interest.
• If during your presentation, you discuss healthcare products or services during the educational activity you must disclose your relevant financial relationships regarding those products or services, you must also provide disclosure of ALL information concerning your financial relationships on an introductory slide prior to the start of your presentation. 

You must ensure disclosure to the activity audience of the following if they are discussed during your presentation:

• Off-label uses of FDA-approved pharmacological, biological, and medical products.
• Investigational uses of pharmacological, biological, and medical products not approved by the FDA.

General Information and Guidelines for Speakers/Invited Faculty

1. Commitments made by volunteer leaders shall not be binding unless confirmed with the Executive Director of ICSUS.

2. Speakers or Invited Faculty:

Speakers defined as: Members / Fellows of the International College of Surgeons (any and all national sections) or its affiliates (such as the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons [AANOS]) who either through abstract submission or direct invitation by a program producer are scheduled to present during the 84th Annual Surgical Update. (This class does also include competitors in the International College of Surgeons-US Section Scholarship program.) Individuals who are not ICS or AANOS members, but have submitted an abstract for consideration without being specifically invited by the office of the Executive Director of ICSUS are considered a Speaker and not Invited Faculty.

Invited Faculty are defined as: Non-members of the ICSUS or AANOS who are specifically invited to present on a particular topic at the meeting through an official invitation by the office of the Executive Director. Only members of this class will be eligible to have registration fees waived or receive expense remuneration under very specific guidelines as defined within this document (see item # 5, 6 & 7).

  It is not be possible for an individual to fall within both categories.

3.  All speakers/faculty must register for the meeting and pay the appropriate fees. Members of the ICSUS or AANOS who are presenting will under no circumstance have their registration fees waived. Invited faculty who are only presenting are not required to pay registration fees, but must register for the meeting as appropriate using the requisite form (to be provided). If an invited faculty presenter wishes to receive CME credit for any sessions other than the one(s) in which they are speaking, they must pay the general meeting registration fee unless prior arrangements have been made with Executive Director.

4. Speakers/faculty must make their travel and housing arrangements independently. ICSUS does not have the means to act as a travel agent for speakers/faculty. For 2023 our host venue is the Hilton Palacio del Rio located in San Antonio, TX. All meeting participants, including speakers/faculty, should attempt to stay at Hilton and utilize the room block that has been secured for the program. Not staying at the Hilton in our designated room block will have a negative impact on the overall financial outcome of the meeting.

HOTEL RESERVATION DEADLINE IS Friday, March 31, 2023. After that date, rates & availability can no longer be guaranteed. Make your arrangements as soon as possible to guarantee your accommodations. Special nightly rates starting at $199 have been negotiated for participants. To ensure you receive our special room rate, please identify yourself as an attendee of the International College of Surgeons – 2023 Annual Surgical Update, when making your reservations. 

For general information about the Hilton Palacio del Rio or to reserve a room click HERE

5. For educational sessions (sponsored symposia or workshops only) that may have received specific financial support through an unrestricted educational grant, invited Faculty may negotiate reimbursement of expenses, but only with prior approval by the program producer and executive offices of ICSUS. The following guidelines for expense reimbursement should be noted:

• Travel and housing expenses will not be advanced under any circumstances.
• The submission of a detailed expense report will be required within 30 days after the completion of the meeting.
• Receipts and/or hotel folios must be included with expense report.
• Airfare will only be reimbursed up to a maximum of $500 for coach class tickets purchased at least 21 days in advance.
• Airfare amounts claimed will be adjusted if guidelines are not followed or if airfare exceeds the average 21 day advance purchase coach rate from a specific city.
• Maximum amount allowed per night for hotel expenses is the negotiated group rate of $199 plus tax at the Hilton. Reimbursement for those who choose to stay at other properties with higher rates will not exceed this amount.
• Maximum number of nights allowed for reimbursement is two (2). This will depend on the specific arrangements that have been made in advance with the office of the Executive Director.
• ACCME guidelines only allow for reimbursement of hotel expenses for the night prior to your presentation and the night of your presentation.
• Meals cannot be claimed on expense reports and are the participant’s responsibility.
• Roundtrip transportation for both home and the San Antonio Airport is allowed to a maximum reimbursement of $100. Receipts are required and must be submitted with expense report. 

6. ICSUS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity and as such has a very limited budget. While the participation of invited faculty is extremely valuable and greatly appreciated, it is the goal of the organization to not expend funds for travel and housing unless it is absolutely necessary and as previously mentioned specific grant proceeds have been obtained for this purpose.

7. Any honorarium that may be granted for invited faculty must be prearranged on a case-by-case basis in advance.

Inquiries should be directed to:

                ICSUS - Office of the Executive Director, Mr. Nick Rebel, 312-787-1608 or nrebel@ficsonline.org

Updated 6/7/2022