CME Education

Depending on which side you’re looking at the subject, monetary gifts for physician CME to certain medical societies is both helpful and fundamentally harmful. Medical societies are able to obtain positive results from the funds that are administered from pharmaceutical companies and other industry professionals.

However, receiving gifts can cause a sore spot for some medical societies who may be influenced by the funds they receive and stray away from integrity principles

Physicians and academic leaders felt that the medical profession is too relaxed with pharmaceutical companies which can be a danger to the reputation of the medical industry. This group feels that the integrity of the medical profession can become tarnished if the general public feels that money for physician CME is what influences physicians’ decisions that are made concerning their health.

However, others in the profession are concerned that drug companies and medical device-makers will withdraw their monetary support for CME programs and redirect the funds elsewhere.

One of the many proposals for reform is that academic medical centers direct commercial CME contributions to one office at each institution. This will create a pool of funds where the school, not the individual companies, will determine the direction of the courses.

Another solution to the issue is systematically banning faculty from accepting drug company gifts of any size, drug samples, free meals and free travel to meetings. These measures and other specifics will help maintain integrity in the profession.

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