The Council of Medical Specialty Societies, which represents 32 medical professional societies, has released its Code for Interactions With Companies, which provides detailed guidance to medical specialty societies on appropriate interactions with for-profit healthcare companies, according to a CMSS news release.
The voluntary code is designed to ensure that societies' interactions with companies are independent and transparent and advance medical care for the benefit of patients and populations.
"CMSS is committed to encouraging and supporting a culture of integrity, voluntary self-regulation and transparency," James Scully, MD, CMSS president and CEO of the American Psychiatric Association, said in the release. "This code provides a clear benchmark for maintaining integrity and independence."
The CMSS code was developed by a 30-member task force consisting of the leaders of member societies. Currently, 13 medical societies have already formally adopted the code and committed to fully implementing it. Others plan to adopt it over the coming months, and many members already have rigorous policies in place that meet or exceed some of the principles in the code. The full code, and the list of signers who have adopted it thus far, are available on the CMSS website at www.cmss.org/codeforinteractions.aspx.
The code includes seven core principles and detailed guidance on implementation. The principles cover the following key areas:
• Conflicts of Interest: Develop and publicly post policies and procedures to disclose and manage conflicts of interest among those who participate in society activities (e.g., medical meetings, clinical practice guidelines, scientific journals).
• Financial Disclosure: Publicly disclose donations and support received from for-profit companies in the health sector and disclose board members' financial and uncompensated relationships with companies.
• Independent Program Development: Develop and make publicly available policies and procedures that ensure that educational programs, advocacy positions and research grants are developed independent of industry supporters.
• Independent Leadership: Prohibit society leaders (presidents, CEOs and editors-in-chief of society journals) from having direct financial relationships with relevant for-profit companies in the healthcare sector.
The 25-page code recognizes that CMSS member societies have different organizational structures and may apply its requirements differently based on their unique activities and infrastructure. Further, some societies may choose to adopt policies that are more rigorous than what the code requires.
Read the CMSS release on the CMSS Code for Interactions With Companies.
The voluntary code is designed to ensure that societies' interactions with companies are independent and transparent and advance medical care for the benefit of patients and populations.
"CMSS is committed to encouraging and supporting a culture of integrity, voluntary self-regulation and transparency," James Scully, MD, CMSS president and CEO of the American Psychiatric Association, said in the release. "This code provides a clear benchmark for maintaining integrity and independence."
The CMSS code was developed by a 30-member task force consisting of the leaders of member societies. Currently, 13 medical societies have already formally adopted the code and committed to fully implementing it. Others plan to adopt it over the coming months, and many members already have rigorous policies in place that meet or exceed some of the principles in the code. The full code, and the list of signers who have adopted it thus far, are available on the CMSS website at www.cmss.org/codeforinteractions.aspx.
The code includes seven core principles and detailed guidance on implementation. The principles cover the following key areas:
• Conflicts of Interest: Develop and publicly post policies and procedures to disclose and manage conflicts of interest among those who participate in society activities (e.g., medical meetings, clinical practice guidelines, scientific journals).
• Financial Disclosure: Publicly disclose donations and support received from for-profit companies in the health sector and disclose board members' financial and uncompensated relationships with companies.
• Independent Program Development: Develop and make publicly available policies and procedures that ensure that educational programs, advocacy positions and research grants are developed independent of industry supporters.
• Independent Leadership: Prohibit society leaders (presidents, CEOs and editors-in-chief of society journals) from having direct financial relationships with relevant for-profit companies in the healthcare sector.
The 25-page code recognizes that CMSS member societies have different organizational structures and may apply its requirements differently based on their unique activities and infrastructure. Further, some societies may choose to adopt policies that are more rigorous than what the code requires.
Read the CMSS release on the CMSS Code for Interactions With Companies.