Update on the Senate probe of pharma funding

From Medical Meetings' September/October issue:

As part of its probe into the pharma industry's system of awarding educational grants, the Senate Committee on Finance asked companies specifically about grants they had given to non-Accreditation Council for CME-accredited providers in the past five years. Does this mean that the Committee will look more favorably on grants to accredited organizations? While it is too early to say, Medical Meetings has learned that the Committee does recognize that the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support are strict and intended to keep things on the up-and-up. While grants given to ACCME-accredited organizations will not be excluded from scrutiny, the committee understands those grants were most likely legitimate and used for educational purposes. For more, click here.