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ACP advocates on behalf of internal medicine physicians and their patients on a number of timely issues. Learn about where ACP stands on the following areas:
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In addition to the ACP Ethics Manual, ACP publishes ethics position papers on a broad range of health care ethics issues including clinical ethics, professionalism, the delivery of health care, teaching, medical research, human rights and other topics. ACP ethics policy is approved by the Board of Regents and serves as the basis for the development of ACP ethics education and practice resources and legislative, regulatory and policy implementation activities.
CME/MOC (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME and MOC by Medscape. 2021)
CME/MOC (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME and MOC by Medscape. 2020)
CME/MOC (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. MOC and CME by Medscape. 2019)
CME (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2018)
CME (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2017)
CME (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2015)
ğĈıϵεÎapp Ethical Guidance for Electronic Patient-Physician Communication: Aligning Expectations (J Gen Intern Med. published online 22 June 2020)
(J Gen Intern Med. 2017;32:935-9)
(Ann Intern Med. 2015;163:787-9)
(Ann Intern Med. 2013;158:620-7)
2011 Letter and 2009 letter to Congressman Blumenauer regarding ACPâs support for legislation to pay for voluntary end-of-life care consultations (see H.R. 1898, the Life Sustaining Treatment Preferences Act of 2009).
End-of-Life (PEACE) Brochures (ACP. 2014) The PEACE brochures were developed by the Patient Education Work Group, which was convened in conjunction with the Consensus Panel project. Order copies of printed brochures
ACP-ASIM End-of-Life Care Consensus Panel Papers (1999-2001) ACP convened this Greenwall Foundation supported consensus panel to develop ethical, policy, and clinical recommendations for physicians and other clinicians on end-of-life decisions.
Contact Caring Connections, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).
Details and resources on NHDD and the importance of advance care planning.
CME (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2014)
Guidelines for the Physician Expert Witness (Ann Intern Med. 1990;113:789)
Ethical Guidance on Family Caregiving, Support, and Visitation in Hospitals and Residential Health Care Facilities, Including During Public Health Emergencies (J Gen Intern Med. 2023 Mar 20:1â8)
Family Caregivers, Patients and Physicians: Ethical Guidance to Optimize Relationships (J Gen Intern Med. 2010;25:255-60)
Family Caregivers, Patients and Physicians: Ethical Guidance to Optimize Relationships (ACP. 2009) (This publication is a longer version of the position paper above.)
Information Resources for Physicians Supporting Family Caregivers (ACP. 2010) This appendix of resources was developed in conjunction with the ACP position paper to help physicians manage relationships with patients and caregivers.
ACP Comments on privacy protection and human genome sequencing (May 24, 2012) ACP provided comments to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues regarding the ethical implications of evolving notions of privacy and access in relation to the integration of large-scale human genome sequencing into research and clinical care.
Ann Intern Med.2022;175:1322-1323
Genetic Testing and Reuniting Families (July 10, 2018)
(Ann Intern Med. 2018;168:651-7)
"Health and human rights are interrelated. When human rights are promoted, health is promoted ... Physicians have important roles in promoting health and human rights and addressing social inequities." (Ethics Manual, seventh edition).
(Ann Intern Med. doi:10.7326/M23-1900)
ACP's Human Rights Page: ACP policy statements and letters of support, as well as documents related to College advocacy for the humane treatment of prisoners and detainees.
(ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2018)
(Ann Intern Med.doi:10.7326/M23-1691)
(Ann Intern Med.2021;174:994-998)
CME/MOC (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. MOC and CME by Medscape. 2023)
(ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME and MOC by Medscape. 2020)
(ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. 2017)
ACP supports ACIP recommendation for additional mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose and WHO call for equitable global vaccine distribution (August 17, 2021)
ACP Statement on Global COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Allocation: On Being Ethical and Practical (June 8, 2021)
ACP's Policy Statement on the Ethical Allocation of Vaccines During Pandemics Including COVID-19 (November 23, 2020)
A Wake-up Call for Healthcare Emerging Ethical Lessons from Covid-19 (Modern Healthcare, June 16, 2020)
Non-Discrimination in the Stewardship of Healthcare Resources in Health System Catastrophes, including COVID-19 Pandemic (March 26, 2020)
Internists Say Harassment Based on Race or Ethnic Origin is Never Okay (March 31, 2020)
(Ann Intern Med.2020;173:230-232)
(J Gen Intern Med. 2005;20:1057-62)
Ethics and Time, Time Perception, and the PatientâPhysician Relationship (ACP. March 2003) (This publication is a longer version of the position paper above.)
Chaperones, Professional Boundaries and the Potential for Misunderstandings CME
Must You Disclose Mistakes Made by Other Physicians? CME (ACP Observer. November 2003)
CME (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2010)
(Ann Intern Med. 2017;167:576-8)
Physician Open Payments (Sunshine Rule) This ACP webpage provides guidance and related tools for physicians on the Physician Payment Sunshine Rule (also referred to as the National Physician Payment Transparency Program, or Open Payments). The Open Payments system, implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2015, provides a mechanism for the public reporting of physician and teaching hospital financial relationships with industry.
(Ann Intern Med. 2002;136:396-402)
(Ann Intern Med. 2002;136:403-6)
Ethics, Professionalism, Physician Employment and Health Care Business Practices CME/MOC
(J Am Geriatr Soc. 1998;46:378-80)
CME (Ann Intern Med. published online 15 March 2021)
(Ann Intern Med. 2015;163:949-52)
The Patient-Centered Medical Home: An Ethical Analysis of Principles and Practice (J Gen Intern Med. 2013;28:141-6)
Ethical Considerations for the Use of Patient Incentives to Promote Personal Responsibility for Health: West Virginia Medicaid and Beyond (ACP. 2010)
(Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:792-4)
Pay-for-Performance Principles that Ensure the Promotion of Patient Centered CareâAn Ethics Manifesto (ACP. 2007) (This publication is a longer version of the position paper above.)
Medical Professionalism in the Changing Health Care Environment: Revitalizing Internal Medicine by Focusing on the PatientâPhysician Relationship (ACP. 2005)
(Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:131-6)
Selling Products Out of the Office (Ann Intern Med. 1999;131:863-4)
(Ann Intern Med. 2014;160:198-200)
ğĈıϵεÎapp Pledge (ACP. 1982 [updated; original 1924]) The ACP Pledge is taken by new Fellows at Convocation at each Internal Medicine annual meeting. The Pledge affirms the physicianâs membership in an ethical and moral community dedicated to healing, comfort, and altruism.
(Ann Intern Med. 2002;136:243-6)
(Ann Intern Med. published online 15 March 2021)
CME (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2009)
Physician Suicide Prevention: The Ethics and Role of the Physician Colleague and the Healing Community CME/MOC
Physician Suicide Prevention and the Ethics and Role of a Healing Community: An ğĈıϵεÎapp Policy Paper (J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Sep;36(9):2829-2835)
(Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(12):871-879.)
ACPâs Physician Well-being and Professional Satisfaction initiative aims to foster a culture of wellness, reduce administrative burdens on physicians, improve practice efficiency and enhance individual physician well-being. The project website includes tools and programs for individual members, their practices, and ACP Chapters.
Sections within the chapter include âProtection of Human Subjects,â âUse of Human Biological Materials in Research,â âPlacebo Controls,â âInnovative Medical Therapies,â âScientific Publication,â âSponsored Researchâ and âPublic Announcement of Research Discoveries.â
Under a grant from the Association of American Medical Colleges and the DHHS Office of Research Integrity, ACP Ethics staff has implemented member education and support programs on the responsible conduct of office-based research. Workshops have been presented at ACP's annual meeting as well as at several ACP chapter meetings.
Research in the Physician's Office: Navigating the Ethical Minefield (Hastings Cent Rep. 2008)
Volunteering for a Research Study? Talk with Your Doctor About What You Should Know This patient education brochure provides information and guidance to patients who are considering volunteering for a research study. The brochures are designed to facilitate conversations between doctors and their patients. They are intended for distribution in doctorsâ offices and come in packages of 50. Access the brochure order form.
When are Industry-Sponsored Trials a Good Match for Community Doctors? CME (ACP-ASIM Observer. 2001)
ACP supports National Academiesâ call for withdrawal of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for âCommon Ruleâ and for appointing a new commission (Dec. 31, 2015) ACP issued a statement in support of the National Academies' call for withdrawal of the Common Rule NPRM and for appointing a new research ethics commission.
ACP Comments on Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) (Dec. 31, 2015) ACP submitted comments to the Office for Human Research Protections of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on the Notice of Proposed Rule Making, "Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects," also known as the Common Rule. ACP also submitted an earlier round of comments on the proposed rule making on Oct. 25, 2011.
(Ann Intern Med.doi:10.7326/M24-0648)
"Physicians have a responsibility to practice effective and efficient health care and to use health care resources responsibly in practicing high-value care. Parsimonious care that utilizes the most efficient means to effectively diagnose a condition and treat a patient puts the patient first but also respects the need to use resources wisely and to help ensure that resources are equitably available" (Ethics Manual, seventh edition).
Conflicting duties? The physician's primary duty, first and foremost, is to the individual patient. She or he must advocate for the patientâin a health care system that grows more and more complex by the yearâbased on the best interests of the patient. But the physician also should use health care resources responsibly and efficiently. Are these duties in conflict? The Ethics Manual and ethics case studies explore these issues and provide help in sorting them out.
Is it rationing? Parsimonious care is not rationing. The goal of medical parsimony is to provide the care necessary for the patient's good on the basis primarily of evidence-based medicine. Although this may have the welcome side effect of preserving resources, reducing resource use is not the intent. It is this difference in intent and action that helps provide a foundation for the ethical distinction between parsimonious medicine and rationing.
ACPâs High Value Care Project aims to improve health, avoid harms, and eliminate wasteful practices. The project website offers learning resources for clinicians and medical educators, clinical guidelines, best practice advice, case studies and patient resources on a wide variety of related topics.
CME (ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2012)
The following ethics case studies were developed through an award from the ABIM Foundation's Putting the Charter into Practice project. Watch a video report of the ACP's work on this project presented by Dr. David Fleming, former President of the College.
(ACP Ethics Case Studies Series. CME by Medscape. 2014)
(Ann Intern Med. 2018;168:506-8)
CME/MOC activities based on this ACP position paper are available:
Annals offers two CME/MOC activities:
(Click on âCME/MOCâ on the left sidebar.)
In this Curbsiders Podcast, Sanjay Desai, MD, coauthor of ACPâs position paper and Internal Medicine program director at Johns Hopkins, reviews several cases that illustrate how institutional norms can shape the practice of medicine. .
Health Information Technology & Privacy (July 2011)
Cognitively Impaired Subjects (November 1989)
