North American Spine Society: Newly released vertebroplasty randomized controlled trials: a tale of two trials
Received 22 September 2009; accepted 24 September 2009. published online 12 October 2009.
This commentary is a product of the North American Spine Society (NASS). It was approved by the NASS Board of Directors and accepted for publication outside The Spine Journal's peer review process.
aDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Brigham & Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115-6110, USA
bOrthopedic Department, Baylor College of Medicine, 1709 Dryden Road, Suite 1230, Houston, TX 77030-2400, USA
cPioneer Spine & Sports, 766 North King Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1142, USA
dDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, 600 Highland, K4/834 Clinical Science Center, Madison, WI 53792-0001, USA
eBone & Joint Clinic of Houston, 6624 Fannin Street, Suite 2600, Houston, TX 77030-2338, USA
Corresponding author. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Brigham & Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115-6110, USA. Tel.: (1) 617-732-7238; fax: (1) 617-732-6937.
FDA device/drug status: not applicable
Author disclosures: CMB (royalties, Life Spine [Level B]; consulting, Depuy Spine [Level B], Medtronic Sofamor Danek [Level B]; speaking/teaching arrangements, Depuy Spine [Level C], Stryker Spine [Level B]; board of directors, North American Spine Society; other office, Applied Spine [Level B, Adverse Events Panel]; research support, Archus Orthopedics [Level B], Synthes Spine [Level D]; grants, Stryker Spine [Level D]; fellowship support, Depuy Spine [Level E]); MH (royalties, Relievant Medsystems [Level C]; stock ownership, Relievant Medsystems [Level D]; consulting, Relievant Medsystems [Level D, 2008; none, 2009]; board of directors, North American Spine Society; research support, investigator salary, Department of Defense [Level E]; grants, Department of Defense [Level I, not directly related to the spine]); CM (board of directors, North American Spine Society; relationships outside the 1-year requirement, DePuy [Level A], Synthes [Level A], St. Francis Medical [Level A]; other, NASS Board, Coding Committee, Performance Measure Committee, Advocacy Council Chair, Annual Meeting, NASS RUC Rep); DR (board of directors, North American Spine Society; relationships outside the 1-year requirement, Medtronic [consultant 2003–2006, minimal-less than Level B over entire duration]); WCW (consulting, Stryker [Level C]; board of directors, North American Spine Society; scientific advisory board, Intrinsic Therapeutics [nonfinancial, stock options (no current value)]; others, Blackstone Medical Inc. [financial, Clinical Events Committee for clinical trial]).
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