Healthcare Professional Programs

2011 NOFA application period is now closed.

The next NOFA topic will be posted in the Spring.

Educational Grants Policy Information

Biogen Idec provides support for educational programs only if they: 1) are objective, unbiased, fair, balanced, scientifically rigorous, and not subject to Biogen Idec influence or control; and 2) provide appropriate medical or scientific education to healthcare professionals, patients and/or the public, in areas of relevance to Biogen Idec.

Educational Providers and/or Program Sponsors must be responsible for all aspects of an educational program and must retain control over the program, including the program structure, content, speakers and invitations.

Educational Grant support may not be offered to an educational program with the intent of, directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly, influencing or encouraging the recipient to purchase, prescribe, refer, sell, arrange for the purchase or sale, or recommend favorable formulary placement of a Biogen Idec product or as a reward for such past behavior.

Who Can Apply

Educational Grants may be made to organizations qualified as nonprofit with tax exempt status under the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code. Each organization must provide a copy of its IRS determination letter to be considered for a grant. If an organization is included under a group exemption, the organization must submit the IRS determination letter issued to the central (sponsoring) organization and a letter from the central (sponsoring) organization stating that the organization applying for a grant is included under the group exemption.

Educational Grants may be made to for-profit organizations that are medical education and communication companies.

Educational Grant may not be Provided to:

• Any individual
• Any healthcare provider or other potential prescriber or formulary decision-maker
• Defray the expenses of a specific healthcare provider or practitioner
• An organization or entity that has been involved in a marketing or promotional strategy with Biogen Idec within twelve (12) months preceding the grant request.

Educational Grant Process

Biogen Idec Grants Office staff may:

• Handle, transmit, review or evaluate grant requests, or make any communications regarding the status of a grant request.
• Respond to grant inquiries when they are asked by the Educational Provider, Program Sponsor or anyone acting on their behalf.
• Provide requestor with Grants Office contact information.

All Biogen Idec employees may not:

• Solicit a grant request, however, employees may provide requestor with Grants Office contact information
• Recommend speakers or educational topics, or provide assistance with the distribution of any actual educational activity or associated enduring material supported by an Educational Grant, even if asked to do so by the Educational Provider, Program Sponsor or anyone acting on their behalf. In certain circumstances and upon written request, employees may distribute invitations for educational activities, provided that appropriate internal approvals are obtained. Please contact the Grants Office for further information. Review program content or material, or provide other informational support in the development, creation or execution of any educational program supported through an Educational Grant, even if they are asked to do so by the Educational Provider, Program Sponsor or anyone acting on their behalf.

Educational Grant Review

• Applications must be submitted at least sixty (60) days in advance of the date at which the requesting organization requires a funding decision.
• You will receive notification from the Grants Office of the Grant Committee's decision.
• If your request is not selected at that time, the Grants Office will contact you directly.
• The Biogen Idec Grant Committee will review all requests. Submission of requests does not guarantee funding.

Note: Requestors must notify the Grants Office in writing with program changes (e.g. date, venue, and content changes) prior to the event. The Grant Committee reserves the right to withdraw support or change level of funding as a result of any change in the program.

Educational Grant Re-submission

If your grant was not approved, you may re-submit the same educational grant application after ninety (90) days. The Grant Committee will re-evaluate the program.

Additional Information

Throughout the year the Grants Office may send out communications directly to registered users of the Biogen Idec Request Management System (RMS) with regard to important and time-sensitive topics (e.g., change in policy, change in process and procedures, system enhancements).

Biogen Idec has a commitment to provide support for educational programs which are objective, unbiased, fair-balanced, and scientifically rigorous. A variety of factors are considered to ensure that the funding we provide supports legitimate medical or scientific education to healthcare professionals and/or the public in areas of relevance to Biogen Idec.

When evaluating a request we consider:

1. Alignment with Biogen Idec's posted areas of interest
2. Qualifications of requesting organization and partners
3. Quality of needs assessment
4. Appropriateness of educational objectives
5. Educational design that is based on adult learning principle
6. Outcomes which provide data to analyze activity effectiveness
7. Innovative and cost-effective approaches
8. Adherence to all relevant regulations, guidelines and policies.