April 26, 2010 – The American College of Cardiology (ACC) today said it officially signed on to the Code for Interactions with Companies released by the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS). The code exists as a guide to appropriate relationships between specialty societies and for-profit companies, to increase transparency and set a standard for independent program development and independent leadership.
“Properly managed partnerships with industry are absolutely critical to maintaining scientific progress in cardiology and other specialties,” said Jack Lewin, M.D, ACC CEO. “This code is a step in the right direction for specialty societies and reaffirms our commitment to the highest ethical standards as we continue to move toward responsible, transparent relationships that will allow us to maintain quality education and research in cardiovascular medicine.”
The ACC has long been a leader in encouraging transparency regarding relationships with industry. All funding sources for the College are available on www.ACC.org. The ACC also made significant contributions to CMSS by bringing forth its own principles for relationships with industry as this code was developed.
For more information: www.acc.org