Chair Herb Kohl and the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing last week on industry funding of continuing medical education (CME). Predictably, most of the witnesses opposed industry funding, including ACC Past President Steve Nissen, M.D., M.A.C.C. Dr. Nissen and other witnesses called for a strong firewall between the sales and marketing divisions of organizations offering CME and the educational divisions that develop the CME.

Of course, this “firewall” is already reality at the ACC, where there is a firm separation between our corporate relations and fundraising teams and our education division. The College has been a vocal advocate of responsible, transparent relationships with industry.

But, the College leadership differs from our respected Past President in that we believe eliminating industry funding for CME could be a serious blow to medical education in this country -- and ultimately to quality care. Steve’s arguments are compelling however, in terms of how often breaches of ethics have occurred (to the consternation of ethical physicians and industry participants in the CME process). What is important from the College’s point of view is that conflicts can be effectively and ethically managed -- and that breaches in ethics need NOT be tolerated.

The College has taken a leadership role in this debate, building consensus on the issue among medical professional societies and drafting a straw man proposal on conducting responsible, ethical relations with industry. The ACC remains committed to working with members of the house of medicine to protect access to the very best continuing medical education and -- most importantly -- to defend the interests of cardiovascular patients.

*** Image from Flickr (DawnVGilmorePhotography). ***