 At the request of a group of Washington, D.C. physicians, the American Medical   Association's House of Delegates considered, and rejected, a resolution that   would revise the kinds of gifts physicians could accept from the pharmaceutical   industry. The D.C. doctors stated that the current guidelines are "cumbersome,   onerous, and inconsistent, in that it undervalues physicians' time as professionals." 

 The physicians want AMA delegates to create a "separate parallel policy" that   would allow them to accept gifts "under more realistic guidelines," reported   the 

 (6/10/04). Current AMA policy allows physicians to   accept money for educational or research purposes from the pharmaceutical industry,   as long as it comes through another organization or foundation. 

 The House of Delegates rejected the resolution, according to a preliminary   report of its actions. It noted that creating a parallel policy would be confusing   and that watering down current AMA guidelines could increase the risk of liability   for physicians. 