CME: April 2010 Archives

Yesterday the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, a nonprofit umbrella group of 32 medical groups, announced its guidelines for interacting with industry. There's nothing particularly new here to shake up the established movement that emphasizes independence from pharma influence and the full disclosure of industry ties. For instance (yawn), the code stresses a distinction between certified continuing medical education (CME) activities and non-CME activities and prohibits ghostwritten articles in society journals.

In its entirety, the code, currently endorsed by 13 member societies,* addresses charitable contributions, corporate sponsorships, educational grants, exhibits and advertising, licensing, research grants, and editorial standards for society journals. The other 19 member societies, including CMSS President James Scully's American Psychiatric Association, have until the end of the year to sign on.

* American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
  American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
  American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
  American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
  American College of Cardiology (ACC)
  Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
  American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
  American College of Physicians (ACP)
  American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM)
  American College of Radiology (ACR)
  American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)
  American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)