What do I do if my event is organised by or on behalf of an Industry Sponsor?

‘It is important to note that companies which produce, market, resell, or distribute products consumed by or used on patients are No Longer Eligible to seek accreditation for their activities.  

Applications for accreditation of activities organised and/or hosted by a single industry sponsor will no longer be accepted. 

An accredited CPD activity can receive unrestricted commercial financial support; however, the support must be managed appropriately.’

The Irish Medical Council has introduced a new framework for the accreditation of CPD, replacing the old system of CPD recognition.

The framework defines a new category of ineligible companies, defined as any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. 

Framework Updates for Ineligible Companies

• Ineligible companies cannot provide accredited education.
• Ineligible companies cannot have any involvement or influence on decisions related to the planning, educator selection, delivery, and evaluation of accredited CPD.
• Owners or employees of ineligible companies must be excluded from controlling content or participating as planners or educators in accredited education.
• Sponsorship from ineligible companies is still permitted, subject to special rules.
• All those involved in planning or delivering accredited education must disclose financial ties to ineligible companies, and relevant ties must be mitigated by the organiser.

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland is currently updating our CPD Accreditation system to align with this new framework, and as a result from 1 July 2026 we cannot accept any further applications from ineligible companies.

Full details of the new Medical Council framework for accreditation can be found on the Medical Council website. Any questions about the framework should be directed to the Professional Competence team in the Medical Council.