General characteristics and financial transparency of Italian professional obstetrical and gynaecological associations extracted from their websites
| Clinical and research area | Number with website | Headquarters located in the offices of a professional congress organiser | Society bylaws posted on website | CME activity* | Sponsored session/symposia included in the PMA's last annual meeting programme | Industry advertisement on society's website or links to industries’ websites | Financial COI issue discussed in bylaws | Policy for interaction with industry available online† | Financial COIs of presidents, board members and executive staff disclosed on website | Annual financial statement available online | Disclosure of financial support (industry grants and individual donations) available online | Industry sponsorship indicated in the PMA's last annual meeting programme |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obstetrics and gynaecology (n=17) | 14 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Obstetrics only (n=4) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gynaecology only (n=26) | 23 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
Data are numbers.
*When an association's website was not found or when the information was not indicated on website, CME activity was identified scrutinising the online programmes of the society's conferences and courses.
†Specific directives regulating professional obstetrical and gynaecological associations’ conduct in case of private/commercial financial support.
CME, continuing medical education; COI, conflict of interest; PMA, professional medical association.