The oversight committee for the industry-supported sessions at APA’s annual meeting should be congratulated in its attempts to promote objectivity and reduce commercialism. Nevertheless, these symposia continue to present a skewed version of psychiatric practice including only a very limited discussion of psychotherapy. Of course, many presenters might state the word "psychotherapy," but very little time is given to the mechanisms and techniques of psychotherapeutic change.

For psychotherapy there is no drug company, there is no organization, and there is no continuing flow of money. I hope that we might find a way to include this important aspect of psychiatric practice in these identity-forming symposia by insisting that these symposia contain practical treatment issues concerning psychotherapy as well as pharmacotherapy.

Bernard D. Beitman, M.D.

Columbia, Mo.