Ethics in medicine is an enduring professional goal
From the President
Dr. Thiers served as Academy president from March 2020 to March 2021.
By Bruce Thiers, MD, September 1, 2020
Every year, there are several dates that I must remember, such as birthdays, holidays, etc. One annual ritual is checking my Academy disclosure of outside interests form to ensure that everything is up to date.
The Academy has adopted a formal system for the disclosure of outside interests and the management of conflicts of interest. Members participating in Academy councils, committees, and task forces, as well as members of the Board of Directors and others in leadership positions, are required to disclose any health care-related financial interests and/or any conflicts related to an Academy project or activity through the annual disclosure process. Disclosures must be updated within 30 days after acquiring a new financial interest. Why do we do this? In order to promote transparency and avoid any perception of bias or undue influence. Academy members must disclose any outside interest with potential conflicts whenever they are working on Academy business that is relevant to that interest. For the Academy to operate effectively, it is important that Academy decisions and actions are not unduly influenced by any special interests of individual members.
Please mark your calendars once a year and make sure that any outside interest related to an Academy project or activity is updated through the annual disclosure process. Visit our Disclosure of outside interests page to access the Academy’s disclosure of outside interests form and learn more about how to manage outside interests that are potential conflicts.
It is also worthwhile to visit the Academy’s Professionalism and Ethics Resource Center. Members can take a four-part voluntary pledge — developed by the AAD’s Professionalism and Ethics Committee and ratified by the AAD Board of Directors — that sets the basic framework for an ethical practice. This pledge is not intended to set unattainable or unrealistic standards. Our hope is that AAD members will strive to adhere to this pledge as an acceptable standard of conduct. The pledge symbolizes our commitment to ethical practice — not only to each other, but also to colleagues in other fields and our patients.
Are you planning a talk or educational program and would like to consult with a colleague on how to incorporate ethics and/or professionalism into that program? The Professionalism and Ethics Resource Center offers contact information for experts on various ethical topics involving subjects from Mohs surgery to treating geriatric patients.
I encourage everyone involved in Academy governance activities to make it an annual routine to update their disclosure of outside interests form. Between disclosing potential conflicts and pledging to practice ethically, we can not only make certain that our Academy operates effectively, but also ensure that our specialty and our patients thrive.
