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Inquiries reaching A. M. A. headquarters reveal considerable confusion concerning the purpose of statements published under the title New and Nonofficial Drugs by the A. M. A. Council on Drugs. Indeed, the Council's statements, which appear regularly in The Journal and which are available in cumulative annual book form from the J. B. Lippincott Company of Philadelphia, are being interpreted by some persons and organizations as a form of acceptance, approval, or endorsement which is not intended. This erroneous concept apparently also has been used in some instances as a basis for authorization of purchases of hospital medication or allowance of hospital insurance payments for drugs. Undoubtedly a good deal of the misunderstanding stems from the former seal-acceptance program, under which the Council limited its descriptions of drugs to those considered to have well-established clinical usefulness. Accordingly, it is important to point out that the Council's current program for evaluation