Here we go again…Congress is asking 33 top medical societies for a list of funding sources going back to 2006.  What are they looking for?  Ties to the pharma and medical equipment industries.  “Transparency” is the reason cited.

My prediction:  look for a chilling effect.  Pharma funding is big here and the last thing they want is an “AIG” incident.  There’s no evidence that conference content is bought and paid for — and that doesn’t matter.  Watch for even more scrutiny on the horizon.  The antidote:  independent content from folks like us.  Look for topics on soft skills and running a better practice.  It won’t completely replace clinical education — just a safe alternative.