Only 30 doctors in the country join, revealing ties to the industry to CFM
The number does not reflect reality. Investigation of Facto News revealed that, in Minas Gerais alone, the health industry paid R$58 million in lectures and consultations from doctors. Another R$5 million was spent to pay professionals for research. The values refer to the period between 2017 and 2022. Lectures, consultancy and research are within the scope of the CFM resolution.
The CFM conflict of interest transparency resolution was published in September 2024. The deadline for entry into force was six months. The text gives doctors 60 days to send statements, after payment for services.
This is the first national standard to require transparency of links between doctors and health industries. Dozens of other countries have laws that require full disclosure of conflicts of interest, including amounts received, in all forms, such as travel and gifts. The pioneering legislation was the Sunshine Act, from the United States, in force since 2010.
However, after editing the resolution, the CFM did not send communications to doctors about the mandatory declaration of conflicts of interest. The organization published the text in the Official Gazette, held a press conference and published on its website and social networks. CFM told the Facto News have no plans to “republicize” the resolution.
Doctors who do not declare relationships with the health industry may face an investigation or ethical process. According to Estevam Rivello Alves, advisor to the CFM, the code of medical ethics requires compliance with the body’s resolutions.
Hiring doctors and offering trips and gifts is neither a new nor illegal practice, but it opens the door to conflicts of interest. When it edited the resolution, the CFM said that the objective was to prevent “conflicts of interest from interfering with” medical actions.
