Source: www.medscape.com Author: Deborah Brauser Current guidelines on conflicts of interest between industry and professional medical associations (PMAs) should be updated with stronger recommendations and adopted by all PMAs, according to an article published in the April 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "PMAs play an essential role in defining and advancing health care standards," write David J. Rothman, PhD, president of the Institute on Medicine as a Profession and Bernard Schoenberg Professor of Social Medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, New York City, and colleagues. "Their conferences, continuing medical education courses, practice guidelines, definitions of ethical norms, and public advocacy positions carry great weight with physicians and the public. Because many PMAs receive extensive funding from pharmaceutical and device companies, it is crucial that their guidelines manage both real and perceived conflicts of interests." However, the authors write, the current PMA policies are not uniform and "lack stringency." The authors have identified several conflict-of-interest areas and have suggestions for new short- and long-term guidelines to address them. "The recommendations are rigorous and would require many PMAs to transform their mode of operation and perhaps to forgo valuable activities. To maintain integrity, sacrifice may be required." 10 Recommended Guidelines The 10 recommended guidelines cover general budget support from industry, national and regional conventions, industry funds for research by PMAs and members, industry funds for fellowships and training programs, guidelines committees, industry support of PMA publications, product endorsements, affiliated foundations, conflicts of [...]