Continuing Education
Important Information
Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC's Vision
Continuing Education Vision
Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC is responsible for administering support of independent educational activities; we are dedicated to providing support for independent educational activities that are intended to improve patient care.
Educational grants are made through Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC with funds provided by Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Our Medical Affairs Department develops and administers professional education and training.
Please explore the pages on these sites to learn more about our educational grants process, how to contact the Medical Affairs Department for the required templates needed when applying for an educational grant, and the educational areas of interest for which grant applications are considered.
Before you begin the application process, please review the “Guidelines” section before proceeding to “Submit Request”. A Letter of Request, a Budget, a signed W-9 form, and a sample invoice are required for all grant applications.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to system requirements, incomplete applications will not be processed. There is NO ‘save’ feature. You will not be able to save your work and return later.
This site is for educational grant applications only. If you are a 501(c)3 organization requesting support for a charitable event (e.g. gala, dinner, run, walk, fundraiser), please forward an e-mail message to vischaritable@its.jnj.com.
Vistakon Pharmaceuticals,LLC’s Vision
Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC is committed to supporting education through independent educational activities, including continuing medical education (CME) activities. Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC’s Medical Affairs Department (MA) is responsible for administering Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC's support of independent education activities.
MA has prepared this information to assist Accredited and other Educational Providers in preparing grant requests for submission to our organization.
MA adheres to a strict policy governing independent education activities. Our policy is based on guidelines set by government agencies (e.g. FDA, OIG), accrediting organizations (e.g. ACCME), industry (e.g. PhRMA), and medical associations (e.g. AMA). One of the goals of our policy is to ensure that the Accredited Provider/Educational Provider retains all control governing the program, and Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC does not exercise any direct or indirect influence over any aspect associated with an independent educational program or activity.
Continuing Medical Education Vision
To lead the vision care industry in quality continuing education by addressing the educational needs of healthcare providers and ultimately improving patient outcomes, with an organizational infrastructure that is approachable and responsive.
Eligibility
Educational Areas of Interest
Exclusions
International Support
General Guidelines
- General Requirements for All Educational Grant Requests
- ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL GRANT REQUESTS ≥ $10,000
Educational Grant requests can be in the form of:
- CME Grants
- Independent continuing educational programs/activities with accredited providers
- Non-CE Grants
- Independent educational programs/activities in affiliation with educational providers, which may include academic centers, hospitals, medical societies, patient advocacy groups, etc.
- Development of patient and/or healthcare professional education materials
- Resident/Fellowship support
- Each educational grant request must contain ALL required completed forms and must be submitted at least 8 weeks prior to the date of the event to ensure sufficient time for review.
- Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC reserves the right to deny requests not submitted in this timeframe.
- Faxed and mailed grant submissions are no longer accepted.
- Only file types such as .doc, .xls, and .pdf may be attached with grant submissions. We do not accept zipped files (.zip).
- Grant is subject to rejection, if information is incomplete or missing.
- Receipt of a grant request by Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC does not guarantee approval of your grant request.
- Financial support may be approved for less than the amount requested.
- NOTE: Grant requests that include promotional opportunities will be rejected.
- If the activity will be certified for continuing education credits, the grant request must be submitted by the accrediting organization administering the meeting. The request must be submitted on the organization’s official letterhead with signature.
- CE Provider Questionnaire must be filled out, signed and included with the submission.
- All organizations must submit a signed W-9 Form and a sample invoice along with their request.
- If additional information is requested, please include the Grant ID number in the subject line of the e-mail. Also, for identification purposes, please provide the requester’s e-mail address that was provided with the original grant submission.
- Each educational grant request must contain a statement of how disclosure of financial support will be made to program participants for the educational activity. Vistakon Pharmaceuticals,LLC’s recommended statement is “This program is supported by an educational grant from Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC.” Company logo will be provided upon request.
- If a Medical Education Company’s services will be utilized for the educational activity, the Educational Partner Questionnaire form must be completed, signed and included with the submission.
Upon successful submission of an educational grant request, Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC will:
- Provide a Grant ID number in a confirmation receipt immediately after the grant application is received. If you do not receive a confirmation receipt with the grant ID number, please contact the Help Desk at totalitysitemgr@its.jnj.com.
- Notify the contact person from the requesting organization regarding the status of the request (e.g. approved, declined, additional information required), and the amount approved, within 8 weeks of receipt.
- For grant requests ≥ $10,000, if approved for less than the amount requested, the applicant will be required to submit an adjusted budget template for the approved amount.
- Mail two original Educational Grant Agreements to the requesting organization for signature (for approved grant requests)
- Ophthalmology
- Ophthalmic technicians
Educational Grants Cannot Be Used To Support: |
|
Requests outside our educational areas of interest |
Promotional/Sponsorship activities or Exhibits related to products of Vistakon |
Normal organizational overhead expenses such as the purchase of computer equipment, etc. |
Travel, lodging, conference expenses or honorarium for an applicant presenting a poster or paper |
Programs that have already occurred |
Reimbursement for physicians, staff or other attendees for the cost of obtaining CE credits |
Payment to attendees in any form for their attendance or travel expenses for attending programs (including parking, mileage, etc.) |
Charitable fundraising events and charitable contributions. If you are a 501(c)3 organization seeking support, forward an e-mail message to visscharitable@its.jnj.com. |
Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC does not generally support international programs. However, if the attendees are predominantly US-based, we may consider an application on an exception basis.
i. General Requirements For All Educational Grant Requests
- Signed Letter of Request on organizational letterhead which includes:
- Statement of educational need for the proposed activity
- Program overview, date and location
- Accreditation information (if applicable)
- Program agenda and/or topics and faculty (confirmed or proposed, if applicable)
- Funding amount and utilization of requested funds
Other Required Forms – please ensure that templates are downloaded for each grant submission from the website, as template revisions may be made at any time.
- Budget Template Form – provided in the Forms Section on the company website
- Signed W-9 Form
- Sample Invoice
- Signed Continuing Education Provider Questionnaire (if applicable, to be completed by the accreditor)
- Signed Educational Partner Questionnaire (if applicable)
Each educational grant request must contain a statement of how disclosure of financial support will be made to program participants for the educational activity. Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC's recommended statement is: “This program is supported by an educational grant from Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC.” Company logo will be provided upon request.
ii. Additional Requirements For Educational Grant Requests ≥ $10,000
In addition to the General Requirements as noted above, please include a detailed explanation of the following:
- Detailed needs assessment and learning objectives for the proposed educational activity or platform, which should include information about the source(s) and methodology used to identify the educational need(s). It is strongly recommended that at least 3 separate sources are utilized to support the identified educational need.
- Examples of sources used to perform a needs assessment may include:
- Interviews
- Questionnaires/surveys
- Practice pattern analysis
- Focus Groups
- Literature review
- Previous CE activity evaluations or educational outcomes
- Quality Insurance/Quality Assurance (QI/QA) data analysis
- Program agenda and/or topics and faculty (confirmed or proposed, if applicable)
- Educational format
- Target audience
- Criteria for selecting faculty
- Description of all components that are part of the educational activity
- For educational programs with multiple components or materials a diagram or schematic is strongly recommended
- Plan for recruiting and generating program awareness
- Anticipated number of participants, including recruitment efforts
- Proposed timelines for major components and major milestones
- Funding amount and utilization of requested funds
- Any proposed educational outcomes measurements of current activity
In addition to the General Requirements as noted above, please include a detailed explanation of the following for Fellowship Grants and Scholarship Grants:
Grants are provided only to organizations that have a bona fide selection committee to select the final recipients. The organization has sole control over selecting the beneficiaries.
- Letter of Request must:
- include selection criteria
- include the number of fellowships being requested
- include amount being used for administrative fees
- Grants must demonstrate a true need for training, including, but not limited to:
- limited expertise in a therapeutic area
- limited expertise within special populations (e.g. ethnic)
- limited expertise within a geographic area
- limited opportunities for advancements and/or technologies of medicine
- Should include educational components to also educate other fellows, residents, staff physicians, pharmacists and/or other healthcare professionals
- Should include, but not limited to:
- specific requirements of the fellowship (activities within clinical and/or research)
- completion requirements
- benefits to patient care
- contributions to the field of study
- Funding must be commensurate with activities performed and within institutional criteria for a designated level of post-graduate year
Grants are awarded to an academic or training institution. The institution must have a bona fide selection process, and select recipients independent of Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC's input.
- Letter of Request must:
- demonstrate the need to attend an educational or scientific meeting
- include the selection criteria and process
- should only be supported for attendance to major medical conferences congresses or association meetings
All required forms and educational areas we support are found on our company website under Continuing Education › Forms.
Budget Template
CE Provider Questionnaire
Educational Partner Questionnaire
W9 Form
Submission / Status
- How do I apply for an educational grant?
- Can I save a request in progress and return to it later?
- What is the timeframe for submitting a request?
- What is the timeframe for providing additional information that’s needed to complete the processing of my request?
- What are the minimum documents required at the time of submission?
- Will a grant be denied if the required documents are not provided?
- Can I submit one application for multiple programs?
- How will I know if my request was successfully received?
- How can I contact Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC if I have questions about submitting a request?
- Can I fax or mail in my request?
- What is the maximum file size?
- Can I utilize templates that I have from previous submissions?
- What do I do if I do not have access to a scanner and am unable to upload the required documents into the website to complete my grant application?
- Can I submit more than one request at a time?
- What document types are acceptable for grant submissions?
- How can I check the status of my request?
- How long will it take to receive a decision?
- How do I know what Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC's “Current Status” means within the View Grant Status window?
- Who is eligible to receive an educational grant?
- Does the educational requirement apply to fellowships?
- Does the educational requirement apply to scholarships?
- When do I complete a CE Provider Questionnaire Form?
- When do I complete the Educational Partner Questionnaire Form?
- Can funding be transferred to a similar or different program if the original program is cancelled?
- Must I submit a new request ifthe program dates and/or speaker information have been modified from the original?
- Am I required to return any unused funds?
- What language should we use in our program materials/signage to recognize Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC's support of our educational program?
- How do I request a logo to acknowledge your company’s support of a program?
- Can I submit a request for a program/event that has already occurred?
- What are some examples of types of grant requests that Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC does not accept?
- Where do I send the requested information if additional information is needed to complete the processing of my request?
- Can payment be made directly to an individual?
- When completing the budget template am I completing the information for the entire program or for the amount that I am requesting?
- Can I resubmit if my grant request is rejected?
Troubleshooting
- Who can I contact if I am having trouble with your website and I’m unable to submit a grant request?
- How can I contact Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC if I have questions about submitting a request?
- I lost my Grant Identification Number; how can I locate it?
| Q: | How do I apply for an educational grant? |
| A: | Information and required templates about our educational grant process can be found on [ THIS ] website under the “Continuing Education” option. |
| Q: | Can I save a request in progress and return to it late? |
| A: | No. Unfortunately, the system will not save your request. Please have all required documents completed and available before you begin the application process. |
| Q: | What is the timeframe for submitting a request? |
| A: | All requests must be received at least eight (8) weeks prior to the date of the program. |
| Q: | What is the timeframe for providing additional information that’s needed to complete the processing of my request? |
| A: | Additional information must be received no later than 5-10 business days after you are notified. |
| Q: | What are the minimum documents required at the time of submission? |
| A: | A letter of request on the organization’s letterhead, an agenda, budget template, signed W-9 form, and CE Provider Questionnaire (if applicable). Please see our grant instructions for more details regarding the specifics of your program. |
| Q: | Will a grant be denied if the required documents are not provided? |
| A: | Yes. Incomplete submissions will be denied. |
| Q: | Can I submit one application for multiple programs? |
| A: | One application can be submitted for a related series of programs, such as a grand round series. The title, objectives and budget for each program must be included, along with all of the required documents. |
| Q: | How will I know if my request was successfully received? |
| A: | Once your request has been successfully submitted, you will receive a confirmation receipt with the Grant Identification Number assigned to your request. Please print a copy of the confirmation receipt for your records and for future reference. If you do not receive a confirmation receipt immediately with the grant ID number, contact the Help Desk at totalitysitemgr@its.jnj.com. |
| Q: | How can I contact Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC if I have questions about submitting a request? |
| A: | Contact us as follows: For General Questions About Grant Submissions: |
| Q: | Can I fax or mail in my request? |
| A: | No. Unfortunately, we no longer accept fax or US Mail requests |
| Q: | What is the maximum file size? |
| A: | The maximum single file size is 20 megabytes. |
| Q: | Can I utilize templates that I have from previous submissions? |
| A: | No. Refer to the templates located in the “Forms” section of this company website. |
| Q: | What do I do if I do not have access to a scanner and am unable to upload the required documents into the website to complete my grant application? |
| A: | Scanners are generally available to the public at your local library, grocery store, post office, or commercial copying center. |
| Q: | Can I submit more than one request at a time? |
| A: | Yes. Multiple requests can be submitted through the system, but you will need to submit a separate request for each program. |
| Q: | What document types are acceptable for grant submissions? |
| A: | Only documents saved as a Microsoft Word (.doc), Excel (.xls), PowerPoint (.ppt) and/or Portable Document Format (.pdf) are acceptable. We do not accept zip (.zip) files. |
| Q: | How can I check the status of my request? |
| A: | You can check the status of your grant at any time by clicking on the “Check Application Status” link on this website. You will need to provide your grant identification number and the e-mail address provided at the time of submission. |
| Q: | How long will it take to receive a decision? |
| A: | You will be notified within eight (8) weeks of your submission regarding the status of your request. |
| Q: | How do I know what Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC's “Current Status” means within the View Grant Status window? |
| A: | From the “Submit/View Request” link, click on the Current Status icon for a complete definition list. |
| Q: | Who is eligible to receive an educational grant? |
| A: | Educational grants may be awarded to profit, nonprofit, and 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations. |
| Q: | Does the educational requirement apply to fellowships? |
| A: | The Company may provide support to teaching institutions for their medical education programs by sponsoring fellowships. The terms of the fellowship must be clearly documented in a written agreement. Requests must include the selection criteria and state that there is a bona fide selection committee in place to select the final recipient(s). Grants must be provided to the teaching institutions and not to individual fellows. |
| Q: | Does the educational requirement apply to scholarships? |
| A: | The company may provide support to travel to a conference that was carefully selected by the teaching institution, including major educational, scientific, or policy making meetings of national, regional, or specialty medical associations. The general subject of the educational activity must generally fall within an educational area of interest to VISTAKON PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC. Grants must be provided to the teaching institutions and not to individual fellows. |
| Q: | When do I complete a CE Provider Questionnaire Form? |
| A: | If the activity will be certified for CE credits, the organization providing certification must complete, sign, and include the CE Provider Questionnaire with the submission. |
| Q: | When do I complete the Educational Partner Questionnaire Form? |
| A: | If a medical education and communication company’s (MECC’s) services will be utilized for the educational activity, the Educational Partner Questionnaire form must be completed, signed, and included with the submission. |
| Q: | Can funding be transferred to a similar or different program if the original program is cancelled? |
| A: | No. The funding must be returned to Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC and a new grant request for the revised program must be submitted. Receipt of a grant request by Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC does not guarantee approval of your grant request. |
| Q: | Must I submit a new request if the program dates and/or speaker information have been modified from the original? |
| A: | No. However, a written notification must be sent to VPhEdGrants@its.jnj.com with the Grant Identification Number prior to that change. |
| Q: | Am I required to return any unused funds? |
| A: | Yes, to the extent that any of the funds are not used for the activity as defined in the written agreement, the provider must return any unused or excess funds to VISTAKON PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC. |
| Q: | What language should we use in our program materials/signage to recognize Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC's support of our educational program? |
| A: | following recommended verbiage should be used: “This program is supported by an educational grant from Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC.” |
| Q: | How do I request a logo to acknowledge your company’s support of a program? |
| A: | To request a copy of our company logo, please forward an e-mail message to VPhEdGrants@its.jnj.com. You will need to provide your Grant Identification Number and the e-mail address on file with your application. |
| Q: | Can I submit a request for a program/event that already has occurred? |
| A: | No. Requests for support must be received at least eight (8) weeks prior to the date of the program. All funding must be received by the grant recipient prior to commencement of the program. |
| Q: | What are some examples of types of grant requests that Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC does not accept? |
| A: | See “Exclusions” |
| Q: | Where do I send the requested information if additional information is needed to complete the processing of my request? |
| A: | Send the missing information to VPhEdGrants@its.jnj.com along with your Grant Identification Number and the primary contact’s e-mail address on file with your application. |
| Q: | Can payment be made directly to an individual? |
| A: | No. Educational grants cannot be provided to individuals. |
| Q: | When completing the budget template, am I completing the information for the entire program or for the amount that I am requesting? |
| A: | For the entire program. |
| Q: | Can I resubmit if my grant request is rejected? |
| A: | No. Generally, requests are rejected either because they do not fit the criteria of an educational grant, the topics are not within our educational areas of interest, funds are not available, or the request was received less than the eight weeks prior to the date of the program. |
| Q: | Who can I contact if I am having trouble with your website and I’m unable to submit a grant request? |
| A: | Please forward an e-mail message to totalitysitemgr@its.jnj.com for assistance. |
| Q: | How can I contact Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC if I have questions about submitting a request? |
| A: | Contact Us For General Questions About Grant Submissions: |
| Q: | I lost my Grant Identification Number; how can I locate it? |
| A: | Please send an e-mail message with the name of the requesting organization, the amount of the request, and the estimated date of the grant submission to VPhEdGrants@its.jnj.com. We will send you confirmation of the Grant Identification Number or contact you for more information. |
FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Please forward an e-mail message to totalitysitemgr@its.jnj.com.
FOR GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT GRANT SUBMISSION: Contact Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, LLC at 800-876-6644 or send an email to VPhEdGrants@its.jnj.com. Please provide the Grant Identification Number and the e-mail address of the primary contact on file with the grant application.
TO REQUEST A COPY OF THE VISTAKON PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC LOGO: E-mail VPhEdGrants@its.jnj.com with your specific request. You will need to provide the grant reference number and the e-mail address on file with the application.
TO CHECK THE STATUS OF A GRANT APPLICATION: CLICK HERE (You will need to enter your Grant Identification Number and the e-mail address on file with the application.)