[MMA News Now, July 23, 2010] The MMA has officially endorsed the “Healthcare Truth and Transparency Act of 2010.” This bill would make it illegal for any healthcare provider to make statements or engage in advertising and marketing efforts that would lead the public to believe that the healthcare provider had greater training or education than he or she actually had. The bill also calls for the Federal Trade Commission to determine the current prevalence of such false advertising. The legislation is being sponsored by United States Representatives John Sullivan of Oklahoma and David Scott of Georgia.

The MMA, along with forty other supporting organizations, sent an open letter to Representatives Sullivan and Scott pledging their “strong support,” and noting that the bill is “an important step.” In lending their support to the bill, the endorsing organizations also stated, “By ensuring that patients have reliable information, your legislation would ensure that consumers are empowered to make decisions that are best for them and their family.”