Senator calls on medical societies to disclose industry payments

Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to 33 medical societies requesting information about the financial backing they receive from the pharmaceutical, medical device and insurance industries.

Groups receiving letters include the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics did not receive a letter.

Grassley says his goal is to encourage the associations to publicly disclose support from industry of more than $5,000.