After several months in development, new guidelines intended to foster appropriate and ethical behavior of AANS representatives with corporate partners were adopted by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
The AANS Guidelines for Corporate Relations, adopted in November 2004, outlines parameters for interactions between AANS representatives and its corporate partners. The document specifically addresses conduct related to meetings, educational courses, special events, exhibits, marketing and advertising, the NREF, publications and Web sites. The guidelines, however, are not intended to govern individual relationships that AANS members have with corporations or any relationships they may have through their practices or institutions.
The rapid development of the AANS’ multidimensional corporate outreach program propelled the need for comprehensive protocols that address all types of relationships between the AANS and corporations. AANS leadership recognized the benefit of industry’s financial support of AANS activities such as annual meetings, fellowships, educational grants and awards. At the same time the leadership wished to address ethical concerns related to such financial support while supporting a balanced, long-term relationship with corporate sponsors.
The AANS Guidelines for Corporate Relations was drafted by a task force appointed in spring 2004 by Robert A. Ratcheson, MD, 2004-2005 AANS president. The task force, led by Jon H. Robertson, MD, included representatives of AANS leadership who were very familiar with AANS’ involvement with corporation sponsorship: Steven L. Giannotta, MD; Charles J. Hodge Jr., MD; L. N. Hopkins, MD; Paul C. McCormick, MD; and James T. Rutka, MD.
Before preparing the guidelines, the task force reviewed a number of pertinent policy and procedural documents currently in existence, including documents recently adopted by associations of pharmaceutical and device industries. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association, known as PhRMA, operates under a set of principles governing relationships between its member companies and medical professionals, and for conducting clinical trials and communicating results. The Advanced Medical Technology Association, or AdvaMed, has guidelines for ethical interactions with healthcare professionals.
The task force also reviewed the Standards for Commercial Support, which was updated and adopted by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education in September 2004. This document focuses on ensuring independence concerning continuing medical education activities and highlights in some detail issues related to conflicts of interest, disclosure and written policies regarding honoraria. With the research phase complete, the task force set out to draft a document that was concise, thorough, and easy to navigate.
The task force recognized the relationship between neurosurgery and industry as a shared mission which would continue to exist only if the public and individual patients benefited. Two strict rules were established for all AANS educational programs associated with corporate sponsorship:
- To ensure the integrity of the educational process, it was decided that the AANS must have complete control of site selection, development of educational content, selection of faculty, implementation and assessment of all educational programs.
- In exchange for financial support, corporate sponsors must not influence or alter any educational event.
The final version of the AANS Guidelines for Corporate Relations was reviewed and approved by the AANS Board of Directors in November 2004. Members of the task force and the board are confident that these guidelines not only will enable the AANS to better understand its internal position regarding sponsorship and corporate support, but also will allow the AANS to explore progressive, less traditional opportunities with existing and potential corporate partners. Because every situation cannot be foreseen, the document was designed to function as a compass, helping to guide members and corporations in their interactions while keeping the AANS mission in sight.
The guidelines complement ethics safeguards already in place in several AANS areas. For example, those submitting abstracts for AANS meetings or journals disclose financial interests or other relationships that might have bearing on their research. Meeting exhibitors must agree that display and demonstration of their products and services is for the advancement of the art and science of neurosurgery. Beginning in 2004, the AANS Board of Directors, committee members, course faculty, and AANS managers sign disclosure statements to ensure that the decisions and actions of AANS representatives are not unduly influenced by any special interests of individual members or employees.
The AANS Guidelines for Corporate Relations was provided to all companies exhibiting at the 2005 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. The document is available in its entirety at www.AANS.org/corporate/guidelines.asp.
Jon H. Robertson, MD, is the AANS secretary and chair of the AANS Development Committee. He is professor and chair of the University of Tennessee-Memphis Department of Neurosurgery.