Selling the soul of the medical profession.

Financial arrangements between healthcare providers, or their professional organisations, and industry have long been a matter for ethical concern. Howard Brody, a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) himself, has argued strongly against the controversial financial arrangement between AAFP and the Coca-Cola (CC ) Corporation. AAFP accepted funding in the name of developing patient education material on obesity from CC , a major producer of sweetened drinks that are considered to be a significant cause of obesity. The concern is whether the arrangement would create a conflict between the AAFP’s financial interest and its interest in serving public health objectives.