The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has contracted with an outside company to exclusively handle all external facets of its member mailing list rental program.
Promotion of CME Activities
Organizations may rent the AAFP mailing list to promote a continuing medical education (CME) activity to AAFP members. No reference to the AAFP may be made within the promotional materials for the CME activity without prior AAFP approval.
Organizations that have been approved for a satellite CME event at the AAFP Family Medicine Experience may rent a list of FMX registrants for one-time use to promote the CME event. Before the mailing list is made available, the proposed promotional mailing must be reviewed by the AAFP in its final state. Mailing lists that comprise members who have registered to participate in AAFP CME activities are not available for rent by any other organization.
Other Promotional Mailings
Organizations and individuals may rent the AAFP mailing list for one-time use to market a program, product, or service. Organizations that have contracted exhibit space at the FMX may rent a list of FMX registrants for one-time use to market a program, product, or service.
Before any mailing list is made available, the proposed promotional mailing must be reviewed by the AAFP in its final state. A list will only be provided if the following criteria are met:
- The mailing promotes a program, product, or service that reasonably can be expected to be of interest to AAFP members by virtue of its relevance to the clinical and socioeconomic practice of medicine or the education of future physicians.
- The mailing is tastefully designed.
- The mailing does not make claims that have no basis in fact.
- To the best of the AAFP's knowledge, the sponsor of the mailing is reputable and can be expected to provide the promoted program, service, or product in accordance with the information in the mailing.
Survey/Research Projects
Organizations and individuals may rent the AAFP mailing list for the purpose of involving AAFP members in surveys and research projects. The AAFP's Member Insights and Operations Division must review and approve all mailed communications in their final state. This includes the following:
- All cover letters/materials soliciting AAFP members to participate
a. If there are multiple communications, all follow-up must be included.
b. If the results are to be published in any format, including online content, participants must be
informed in the cover letter.
- A final copy of the survey instrument
- Copies of all envelopes (including business reply envelopes [BREs]) used in correspondence with AAFP members
a. Envelopes may be scanned and emailed as PDFs.
- Any other mailed communications that will be received by AAFP members on the mailing list.
The AAFP's Member Insights and Operations Division will determine whether a list is provided for a survey or research project solely on the basis of the following criteria
- The request must be made by a reputable individual or organization.
- The survey instrument must be designed to produce valid and reliable results.
- The request must clearly state the objectives of the survey/research project and the intended use of the data collected.
- The potential results must meet the following criteria
a. Add significantly to the body of knowledge in the medical field, particularly family medicine.
b. Have a positive benefit for AAFP members.
Note:
- The AAFP will not rent its mailing list for telephone or facsimile solicitations.
- Permission to use the mailing list for promotion or a survey/research project in no way implies an endorsement by the AAFP. The AAFP must not be mentioned in any communications regarding a survey/research project.
- The AAFP will not rent its mailing list to any political candidate.
- The AAFP will not rent its mailing list for solicitation of membership in another organization.
- All mailed communications are subject to the approval of the AAFP, which reserves the right to reject any request at any time.
(1986) (July 2023 BC)