AME Announces Updated Mission Statement

A Commitment to Patient Care and Advancing the Practice of Medicine

Since its inception, the Association for Medical Ethics has been dedicated to promoting patient care and evidence-based medicine, while also providing increased understanding to the public of the pervasive, and at times, detrimental influence of industry on health care providers and patients.

While these tenants hold true, AME also wanted to highlight its ongoing support for physicians and organizations to work together with the medical industry to develop new drugs, devices and treatments, as long as these relationships are transparent and legitimate. The updated AME Mission Statement reflects the organization's on-going commitment to patient care and to their peers in the medical community.

"The AME Mission Statement has been updated by our Board of Directors in order to clarify some of our beliefs including making clear that our organization supports all legitimate physician activities including physicians working with industry in order to advance the practice of medicine," said Dr. Charles Burton, AME Board President.

The updated mission statement can be viewed here »

Renowned Physicians, Legal Advocates and Medical Industry Professionals set to discuss the state of medicine at the AME UCI Symposium

Under the Influence - Medicine in the post Physician Payment Sunshine Act World- Changes, Challenges and Confusion

Event to be held on Feb. 28, 2014 in Irvine, Calif.

The Association for Medical Ethics has joined with the University of California, Irvine to host the upcoming AME Symposium - Under the Influence - Medicine in the post Physician Payment Sunshine Act World-Changes, Challenges and Confusion, to be held from 1 pm to 5 pm on Friday, February 28, 2014 at the Beckman Center in Irvine, Calif., with a cocktail reception to follow.

Physicians attending the AME UCI Symposium may earn Continuing Medical Education credits. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

"The need for ongoing, open dialogue on the role of influence in medicine is important in this era of medical transparency, which is why AME is sponsoring this informative symposium," said Dr. Charles Rosen, Co-Founder of the Association for Medical Ethics.

"We are gathering a panel of participants that will speak to the changing face of medicine from the research labs and patient care to the development of medical technology and new procedures. Our meeting will look at how the Physician Payment Sunshine Act is changing medicine today and will continue to change medicine for years to come."

This afternoon symposium will feature physicians, researchers, attorneys and medical industry professionals as they present and discuss the latest information on state of medicine today and in the future, as the implementation of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act impacts the medical community.

Speakers will include:

• Charles Rosen, MD
  Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine; Co-Founder of the Association for Medical Ethics,
  Dr. Rosen will be reporting on the Physician Sunshine Act and how this landmark legislation is being put into practice from medical offices and research labs to hospitals and pharmaceutical corporations.
• Ralph Clayman, MD
  Dean of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine
  Dean Clayman will speak on the moral and ethical challenges of surgical innovation. He will draw upon his background in developing new surgical procedures to explore a number of issues including obtaining informed consent to outlining financial implications.
• Zeev Kain, MD
  Associate Dean for Clinical Research, Chair, Department of Anesthesiology and Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of California, Irvine
  Dr. Kain is an internationally renown anesthesiologist specializing in the clinical management of perioperative fear and anxiety, and management of children undergoing invasive medical procedures. His presentation, Not Biting the Hand that Feeds You: How to Manipulate Randomized Controlled Trials, promises to be an intriguing look at the state of medical research.
• Allan Korn, MD
  Former Chief Medical Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield
  As the former chief medical officer and senior vice president for clinical affairs for Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dr. Korn has in-depth knowledge on how health plans can impact patient care. He will present an administrator's view of the medical industry.
• Scott Lederhaus, MD
  Neurosurgeon, Inland Neurosurgery Institute and AME Board Member
  Dr. Lederhaus will discuss the medical community's persistent arguments on Physician Owned Distributors and the U.S. Department of Health's warning that challenges the legality of such businesses, including the possibility of Anti-Kickback violations being brought against owners.

Additional panelists will also present updates on transparency in medicine and legal implications surrounding the Physician's Payment Sunshine Act.