title: Surgeon-industry conflict of interest: survey of North Americans' opinions regarding surgeons consulting with industry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgeon-industry conflict of interest (COI) has become a source of considerable interest. Professional medical societies, industry, and policy makers have attempted to regulate potential COI without consideration for public opinion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to report on the opinions of individuals representing the general public regarding surgeon-industry consulting relationships.
  
  
  METHODS
  Web-based survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey was administered using a "spine Web site," and opinions are collected on surgeon-industry consulting and regulation. Associations among responses to similar questions were assessed to ensure validity and subgroup analysis performed for respondent age, sex, education, insurance, employment, and patient status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred ten of 642 surveys had complete data. The sample population comprised more females and was older and more educated than the American population. About 80% of respondents felt it was ethical and either beneficial or of no influence to the quality of health care if surgeons were consultants for surgical device companies. Most felt disclosure of an industry relationship was important and paying surgeons royalties for devices, other than those they directly implant, would not affect quality of care. Respondents support multidisciplinary surgeon-industry COI regulation and trust doctors and their professional societies to head this effort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the known potential negative impact of surgeon-industry COI on patient care, this study revealed that this does not seem to be reflected in the opinion of the general public. The respondents felt that disclosure is deemed one of the most important means of self-regulation and COI management, which is in agreement with current trends of most spine societies and journals that are increasing the stringency of disclosure policies.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Spine Division, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, 119 Belmont St, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
authors: Christian P
authors: CP
authors: DiPaola
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Spine, University of British Columbia, Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, 6th floor - 818 W. 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9.
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Dea
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Spine, University of British Columbia, Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, 6th floor - 818 W. 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9.
authors: Vanessa K
authors: VK
authors: Noonan
authors: Division of Orthopedics, Department of Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre, E4-120 Victoria Hospital, 800 Commissioners Rd E, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5W9.
authors: Christopher S
authors: CS
authors: Bailey
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Spine, University of British Columbia, Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, 6th floor - 818 W. 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9.
authors: Marcel F S
authors: MF
authors: Dvorak
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Spine, University of British Columbia, Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, 6th floor - 818 W. 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9. Electronic address: charles.fisher@vch.ca.
authors: Charles G
authors: CG
authors: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D030881:Disclosure / Q000941:ethics*; D005260:Female; D019981:Health Care Sector / Q000941:ethics*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000941:ethics*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000941:ethics; D066231:Surgeons / Q000941:ethics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Conflict of interest; Relationship with industry; Surgeon consulting