Disclosure Information

In accordance with the ACCME Accreditation Criteria, the American College of Surgeons, as the accredited provider of this activity, must ensure that anyone in a position to control the content of the educational activity has disclosed all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. Therefore, it is mandatory that both the program/planning/editorial committee and authors complete disclosure forms. Individuals were required to disclose all financial relationships. The ACCME defines a ‘commercial interest’ as “any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients”.  It does not consider providers of clinical service directly to patients to be commercial interests.  The ACCME considers “relevant” financial relationships as financial transactions (in any amount) that may create a conflict of interest and occur within the 12 months preceding the time that the individual is being asked to assume a role controlling content of the educational activity.

The ACCME also requires that ACS manage any reported conflict and eliminate the potential for bias.  The planning/editorial committee members and authors were contacted and the conflicts listed below have been managed to our satisfaction. However, if you perceive a bias, please advise us of the circumstances on the evaluation form.  

The requirement for disclosure is not intended to imply any impropriety of such relationships, but simply to identify such relationships through full disclosure and to allow the audience to form its own judgments regarding the presentation.

Authors

• Peter Angelos, MD, PhD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Alexander J. Langerman, MD, SM, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Grace S. Lee, MD, MSME - nothing to disclose
• Baddr A. Shakhsheer, MD - nothing to disclose
• Mark Siegler, MD, MACP - nothing to disclose
• Alexander H. Toledo, MD - nothing to disclose     
• Mark C. Weissler, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose

Editorial/Planning Committee

• Henri R. Ford, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Peter Angelos, MD, PhD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Karen J. Brasel, MD, MPH, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Alberto Raul Ferreres, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Wayne A. I. Frederick, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Scott B. Grant, MD, MBE - nothing to disclose
• Enrique Hernandez, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Fabrizio Michelassi, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Raymond Morgan, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Russell J. Nauta, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Richard B. Reiling, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• J. David Richardson, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Gretchen M. Schwarze, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Mark Siegler, MD, MACP - nothing to disclose
• Eric A. Singer, MD, MA, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Richard I. Whyte, MD, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Mark C. Weissler, MD, FACS- nothing to disclose
• Sharmila Dissanaike, MBBS, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FRCSC, FACS - nothing to disclose
• Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH - nothing to disclose
• Maggie Morier - nothing to disclose