| The pharmaceutical industry has long been a financial | | | | and industry firms. It has been suggested that any |
| contributor to CME courses. Over the years, drug | | | | physician organizations that currently rely on more |
| makers' money and marketing materials has caused a | | | | than 25% pharmaceutical company money should |
| conflict of interest concerns. There are newly | | | | reassess their policies and make the move toward a |
| published guidelines that state that dictate that no | | | | zero dependency and protect the integrity of their |
| more than 25% of physician organizations' budgets | | | | organizations. |
| should come from the drug industry. There are | | | | When medical professionals accept funds from the |
| already reports that some organizations, like The | | | | industry, it creates an appearance of an improper |
| American Psychiatric Association, have pledged to | | | | influence. Patients want to be assured that the |
| eliminate any bias by not accepting funds from | | | | advice and decisions given to them is not influenced |
| pharmaceutical companies for their CME courses and | | | | by some pharmaceutical's company funding of |
| programs. | | | | continuing medical education activities. That |
| Physician organizations have become increasingly | | | | appearance of influence can potentially erode a |
| weary of the conflict of interest concerns. The | | | | patient's trust in the medical advice they are |
| actions of the panel of experts shows a desire to | | | | receiving. Refusing to accept some funding or |
| move towards significantly reducing the medical | | | | eliminating the funding all together will keep the |
| profession's dependency on money given by drug | | | | integrity of the medical profession strong and |
| makers. The goal is to shift entirely away from any | | | | consumer confidence strong. |
| reliance on pharmaceutical companies, drug makers | | | | |