Guiding Principles for Industry Support

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is a professional medical society with the mission of advancing sleep care and enhancing sleep health to improve lives. As the leading voice in the sleep field, the AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education, and research.

The AASM recognizes that industry is a stakeholder in our mission and can be a powerful ally in addressing the needs of the patients our members serve. However, the AASM is also committed to scientific and medical independence and seeks to eliminate all sources of industry bias in our pursuit of evidence-based, patient-centered care for people who have sleep disorders. The integrity of our organization is maintained through the following guiding principles:

  • AASM will be transparent and ethical in all interactions with industry.
  • AASM upholds a strict conflict of interest policy to protect the organization from the risk that professional judgments or actions will be unduly influenced – or perceived to be influenced – by industry funding or any other secondary interest.
  • AASM does not endorse specific products, technologies, or companies.
  • AASM does not accept funding of any kind from organizations that are not in alignment with AASM and its mission.
  • All advertisements are carefully reviewed to ensure messaging is not misleading or against AASM recommendations.
  • AASM seeks to diversify its sponsorship sources to eliminate any perceived bias for a particular therapy, product or company.
  • AASM is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and follows all ACCME standards to protect the learning environment from industry influence.
  • AASM develops clinical practice guidelines according to internationally recognized standards for guideline development based on a systematic review of the literature, meta-analysis, and evidence grading. Evidence is downgraded when there is potential publication bias associated with industry sponsorship of the research.
  • For transparency and accountability, AASM posts draft practice standards for a public comment period before final publication.