AAMC calls for strict limits on
industry support of medical education
Last week, the AAMC Executive Council unanimously approved recommendations
that medical schools and teaching hospitals prohibit drug industry
gifts and services to physicians, faculty, residents, and students,
and limit industry support of continuing medical education activities.
The recommendations are part of a new AAMC report, "Industry Funding
of Medical Education." In adopting the report,
the AAMC's leadership urged all association members to implement
policies and procedures, consistent with the report's guidelines,
by July 1, 2009.
The report is the result of a 14-month effort by an AAMC task force,
established in 2006, to examine the benefits and pitfalls associated
with industry funding of medical education, and to develop principles,
recommendations, and guidelines to help medical schools and teaching
hospitals better manage their relationships with industry. The report
recommends that academic medical centers: prohibit industry gifts
to physicians, faculty, students and residents; discontinue the
practice of accepting drug samples or manage their distribution
via a centralized process; restrict pharmaceutical representatives'
access to physicians; establish a central continuing medical education
office to coordinate industry-supported activities; discourage faculty
participation in industry-sponsored speakers' bureaus; and prohibit
ghostwriting.
AAMC joins opposition to False
Claims Act amendments
The AAMC has joined
with nearly 20 other organizations opposing legislative amendments
that would dramatically expand the scope of the False Claims Act.
In a letter to leaders of the House of Representatives Judiciary
Committee, the groups noted that the legislation would impose enormous
burdens on non-profits, universities, hospitals, and businesses
of all sizes. The groups believe that the current statute is sufficiently
powerful to achieve the government's goals-to permit "whistleblower"
lawsuits-and that any new legislation is unwarranted. The American
Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals also
signed the letter, which was organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
and the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform.
HRSA seeks applicants for health workforce
center funding
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)'s Bureau
of Health Professions is seeking applicants for a new Health Workforce
Assistance Center cooperative agreement program.
The recipient institution or organization will serve as a gateway
to information on health workforce issues for health providers,
employers and policymakers and may receive approximately $750,000
annually for fiscal years 2008-2012 (funding beyond the first year
is dependent upon federal appropriations). Eligible applicants include
state or local governments, health professions and nursing schools,
academic health centers and community-based facilities. Applications
are due July 21.
AAHRPP accredits 22 more research
organizations
The Association
for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs
(AAHRPP) has awarded accreditation to another 22 research organizations.
The organizations receiving full accreditation included six medical
schools and universities, 12 Department of Veterans Administration
facilities, and two institutional review boards. Two additional
institutions were awarded qualified accreditation. To date, 129
organizations representing more than 550 entities have earned AAHRPP
accreditation. Forty-two percent of the nation's research-intensive
universities, 36 percent of U.S. medical schools and 52 percent
of Department of Veterans Administration facilities are now accredited.
The AAMC is a founding member of AAHRPP.
On the move
Steven T. DeKosky, M.D., has been named vice president and dean
of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, effective Aug.
1. He currently serves as professor and chairman of the department
of neurology and director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
at the University of Pittsburgh.
Shirley Strum Kenny, Ph.D., will retire as president of Stony
Brook University at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year.
