Monday, June 23, 2008

CME safe---for now

I’m a little late with this, but the AMA proposal to eliminate industry supported CME went down in flames. Pathobilia cited the arguments leveled against the proposal:

[T]he report ignores the dramatic difference between certified CME and other non-certified 'education' and thus overlooks the significant advances in the management and resolution of conflicts of interest mandated in the last several years by government, industry and the [ACCME].

[T]he report's conclusions are not based on current and scientifically relevant and rigorous evidence in the context of certified CME and do not respect dramatic progress in the past decade.

[T]he report lacks a plausible, detailed plan to ensure that the proposed elimination of $1 billion in certified CME funding would improve the quality of certified CME and patient care.

The long and the short of it? Proponents could not offer a shred of evidence that this draconian measure would benefit doctors or patients. I guess I won’t cancel my AMA membership just yet.

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