The Sunbeam agreements refer to financial arrangements between the American Medical Association (AMA) and Sunbeam Corporation. Sunbeam Corporation is a manufacturer of medical devices and other pharmaceutical products. Sunbeam paid the AMA millions of dollars for the right to use the AMA trademark on its products and in commercials (Nanda, 2002). As a result, Sunbeam’s deals have become a matter of controversy. Thus, it is essential to determine whether Sunbeam’s agreements call into question the AMA’s credibility.
The question of the AMA’s credibility with the public has been raised by the concern that these financial dealings may influence medical decisions of doctors. According to some critics, the AMA has compromised its integrity by accepting money from Sunbeam, which could undermine public confidence in the medical profession (Nanda, 2002). In order to demonstrate its credibility, the AMA adopted measures to address concerns about conflicts of interest. Therefore, the organization established stricter guidelines for financial interactions between medical providers and manufacturers of healthcare products (Nanda, 2002). Moreover, the AMA has introduced a policy of disclosing any financial arrangements with private companies. Nevertheless, the opinion that the AMA has violated the essence of the law and undermined public trust in its activities has been widely spread in the public area (Nanda, 2002). Consequently, the financial gain and privileging of certain companies indicate a monetary advantage for the AMA, which still affects the decline in confidence in the organization.
In summary, the agreement between the AMA and Sunbeam Corporation caused a significant public outcry and reduced the level of credibility of the organization. Even the measures that the AMA took to disclose its financial activities and create transparency for the public did not stop the criticism in society. Hence, the AMA-Sunbeam transaction caused considerable damage to the AMA’s reputation by generating a substantial monetary income from a private company, potentially threatening the quality of patient care.
Reference
Nanda, A. (2002). The American Medical Association-Sunbeam deal (A): Serpent on the staff meets Chainsaw Al. Harvard Business School, 1-16.