YOU鈥橠 think they would have done it years ago. At last rules are being introduced to ensure that doctors who teach continuing medical education courses in the US declare their relationships with drugs companies 鈥� and give their students unbiased information.
In most US states, doctors who want to keep their licences have to continually update their education. Much of this continuing medical education (CME) is paid for, designed by and delivered on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry, and there have been charges that it is little more than drug company propaganda.
鈥淢uch of doctors鈥� ongoing education is paid for and designed by drug companies鈥�
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Now the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) has tightened up its standards. From 1 May, doctors who receive money from drug companies will have the content of their talks vetted, either by the organising committee itself or by peer review. Lecturing doctors will be required to avoid using brand names, limit themselves to discussing the best medical evidence, and avoid giving clinical recommendations. The definition of conflict of interest has also been broadened to include ownership of shares in drug companies by the doctor or his or her spouse.
But the new rules do not go far enough, says Arnold Relman, a doctor and former editor of The New England Journal of Medicine. 鈥淭here is no provision for monitoring or enforcement. It鈥檚 all voluntary,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y greatest objection 鈥� the most startling weakness 鈥� is that they don鈥檛 even mention anything about the over 100 medical education and communication companies which are now accredited to provide CME, which work for the industry.鈥�
