NY Times Editorial Echoes IMAP on Professional Medical Associations

On April 30th, 2010, the New York Times published an editorial echoing the Institute on Medicine as a Profession's position on curbing industry influence in Professional Medical Associations.

"Professional medical societies play an enormously influential role in determining how medicine is practiced, but their activities and financing are a mystery," the editorial began.  "Outsiders can’t tell how independent the societies are from the companies that supply much of their financing."

The editorial hailed the April 17th issuance by the Council of Medical Specialty Societies of a new code of conduct that seeks to limit industry influence.  However, it noted that the new guidelines don't include an effort to completely wean the societies away from a dependence on industry funding. 

Referencing IMAP, the editorial noted, "last year, a group of experts proposed that such societies should quickly restrict industry support to no more than 25 percent of their operating budgets and work toward a virtually complete ban on industry money. The new code does not make even a nod to a ban." 

To read the complete editorial, click here.