The Institute of Medicine’s report on conflicts of interest could turn CME as we know it on its head

The report released in April by the Institute of Medicine, called “Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education, and Practice,” is raising a bit of a ruckus in the continuing medical education community. Among its many recommendations for managing COI in institutions that conduct medical research, develop practice guidelines, provide clinical care, and offer medical education, is one that could turn CME as we know it on its head: Recommendation 5.3. It reads: “A new system of