I wrote previously that pharmaceutical industry influence should be removed from physician continuing medical education courses.

The American Psychiatric Association is taking that recommendation to heart, announcing that it will end industry-sponsored seminars at its annual meeting.

Good for them.

But, I’d be interested to see how many of these professional organizations can survive the funding cut. For instance, the APA stands to lose $1.5 million from the lost revenue previously reaped from drug companies sponsorships.

Large, national organizations can probably withstand the financial losses. However, I wonder if the smaller ones, especially in this economy, can make that same ethical stand.