Rethinking the Lifeline

Does the commercial support system — as it exists today — inevitably compromise CME's independence? That's the question the Accreditation Council for CME will explore over the next year as it conducts its first-ever big-picture review of the funding process. It will examine a range of options, from leaving the system intact, to setting up a centralized grants repository, to limiting — or even prohibiting — pharmaceutical industry funding of CME. Since drug companies funnel about $1 billion