Disclosure Information

In accordance with the ACCME Accreditation Criteria, the American College of Surgeons must ensure that anyone in a position to control the content of the educational activity (planners and speakers/authors/discussants/moderators) has disclosed all financial relationships with any commercial interest (termed by the ACCME as “ineligible companies”, defined below) held in the last 24 months (see below for definitions). Please note that first authors were required to collect and submit disclosure information on behalf all other authors/contributors, if applicable.

Ineligible company

The ACCME defines an “ineligible company” as any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services used on or consumed by patients. Providers of clinical services directly to patients are NOT included in this definition.

Financial Relationships

Relationships in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, ownership interest (e.g., stocks, stock options or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit.  Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management position, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities from which remuneration is received, or expected. 

Conflict of Interest

Circumstances create a conflict of interest when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME content about products or services of an ineligible company with which he/she has a financial relationship.

The ACCME also requires that ACS manage any reported conflict and eliminate the potential for bias during the educational activity.  Any conflicts noted below have been managed to our satisfaction. The disclosure information is intended to identify any commercial relationships and allow learners to form their own judgments. However, if you perceive a bias during the educational activity, please report it on the evaluation. 

Faculty and Disclosures

Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, MAMSE – Nothing to Disclose 
Gyusung I. Lee, PhD – Intuitive Foundation: Clinical Research Grant PI 
Mandayam Srinivasan, PhD – Nothing to Disclose 
Mark S. Cohen, MD, FSSO, FACS – Hylapharm, LLC: Equity (no revenues), Co-Founder & Member; Ferroximend, LLC: Equity (no revenues), Co-Founder and Member; Innovative Technology Consulting, LLC: Honoraria, Founder & Speaker; GigXR, Inc.: Equity (no revenues), Advisory Board Member 
Gladys Fernandez, MD – Nothing to Disclose 
John T. Paige, MD, FACS – Oxford University Press / Springer Nature: Royalties, Co-Editor; Boston Scientific: Non-Paid Education Consultant; Anita Medical: Research Co-Investigator 
Ganesh Sankaranarayanan, PhD – Nothing to Disclose 
Henry Lin, PhD – Intuitive Surgical Inc.: Salaried Full-Time Employee 
Leonie Heskin, MB BCh BAO, BArch, March, MSc(Bioeng), FRCSI, PhD – Nothing to Disclose 
Arhum Naeem – Nothing to Disclose 
Annie Trang, MBE – Nothing to Disclose 
Zaina Aloul – Inovus Medical: Non-Paid Intern 
Inki Kim – Nothing to Disclose 
Andrew Hu, MD – Nothing to Disclose 
Andrew Schindler – Nothing to Disclose 
Hang-Ling Wu – Research funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, R01DK137230 Jay Paranjape – Research funded by the National Institutes of Health, R01EY033065 
Nagham Toba, MD – Nothing to Disclose