Most Canadian medical societies lack comprehensive policies governing conflicts of interest, and many existing policies are generally fragmented and narrow in scope, according to a new analysis.
Specifically, 35 of 68 medical societies, or 51.5%, did not have policies addressing nine key activities or functions, including clinical practice guidelines, research funding, society journals, continuing medical education and relationships with companies. Some societies also failed to develop policies for society leadership or staff.
The absence of such policies has implications not only for the societies, but also for doctors and patients, the researchers wrote in PLOS One. Societies that limited governance while developing practice guidelines or sponsoring educational programs risk introducing commercial bias into clinical decision-making, and that could affect treatment and care.
