The AAMC submitted a May 12 response (PDF) to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) Request for Information on deregulation (PDF), which sought feedback on proposals to rescind or revise regulations deemed “unnecessary, unlawful, unduly burdensome, or unsound.” Acknowledging the complex regulatory landscape that academic medical institutions navigate, the AAMC emphasized the need to modernize outdated requirements, harmonize duplicative regulations, and streamline compliance without compromising critical protections.
The letter urged the OMB to take a balanced, evidence-informed approach grounded in meaningful dialogue with the regulated community and adherence to the Administrative Procedure Act’s notice and comment requirements. The AAMC’s recommendations included: harmonizing conflict of interest rules across agencies, establishing a research policy board to improve cross-agency coordination, and aligning single institutional review board mandates [refer to Washington Highlights, Feb. 8, 2018, Aug. 9, 2024]. The AAMC also called for permanent regulatory flexibilities in telehealth and virtual supervision, reforms to the Quality Payment Program and hospital quality reporting, and withdrawal of certain rules with unclear statutory authority or disproportionate burden. These proposals reflect the AAMC’s commitment to ensuring the ability of medical schools and academic health systems to advance scientific progress and deliver high-quality patient care.