[Demand for extramural funding in German hospitals]

Medical progress is based on scientific research and continuing medical education (CME). Because of the tight financial situation in German hospitals, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide the monetary resources for research and education. Therefore, acquisition of extramural grants has become indispensable for German medical research. Nonetheless, time and again the medical professionals have to face public accusations of unlawful earnings through industry funds. Even though these accusations prove wrong in most cases, they harm the reputation of the medical profession. Thus, guidelines are needed that guarantee both the independence of medical decision making and a productive cooperation with industry sponsors. At their annual meeting in 2003, the elected representatives of the medical profession of Germany ("Deutscher Arztetag") have passed an amendment of the code of conduct for physicians concerning the cooperation of physicians and industry partners. The goal is to organize the cooperation in a way that the independence of the physicians remains unquestionable The following principles are now included in the code of conduct: Transparency of funding; separation of funding and decisions on buying medical products; equivalence of service and payment; and documentation of the cooperation within the framework of occupational law.