Professional medical associations (PMAs) are foundational to the U.S. medical system, developing practice guidelines, providing medical education, and publishing journals. While there are scores of PMAs, probably the most well-known and largest are the American Heart Association (AHA), with over 33,000 members, the American Academy of Pediatrics with over 64,000 members, and the American Medical Association (AMA), with more than 200,000 members.
Yet, according to doctor-authored opinion pieces in medical journals, conflicts of interest (COIs) such as a lack of transparency about industry money received, can present ethical challenges. For example, does funding from a drug or device maker influence an association’s recommendation in its official guidelines? There are reasons to be concerned that it might….