Free and Complimentary CME in Podiatry
For the last several years, we have witnessed more and more offers to attend free or “complimentary” CME programs. ASPS, ABPM, Presents, LER, and others offer you the chance to obtain no cost education. The truth is these programs are paid for by so called “unrestricted educational grants”.  But are they really unrestricted ?  They are not. Companies such as BAKO pay the CME provider for the program.  These programs seem to always include BAKO speakers only.  Coincidence ?  Time after time ? You’ve got to be really stupid not to understand that CPME allows these free commercials to award CME credit.  What about Wendy Cole, the self appointed wound care expert ?  Or Warren Joseph ?  Or Tracy Vhlahovic ?  Who is paying them ?  Are these lectures unbiased ? Or are they paid for in a veiled commercial ?  Again, this goes on and on. “New concepts in bone healing” or “advances in wound healing” or another lecture on fungus toenails, the speaker and topic is bought and paid for.  The recent parade of podiatry whackos espousing their unproven theories of biomechanics presented by LER is a perfect example.Where were real experts with true academic credentials, for example Doug Richie ?  Why were they not asked to present ?  And how many non podiatrists actually registered for the whacko biomechanics review by LER ?  It’s time CPME puts an end to this industrial podiatry complex.