Contents

 Commentary

n MESSAGE FROM THE MEDICAL EDITOR
My Last Stand 
Stuart M. Weinstein, MD

n FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Houston, We (the Medical Profession) Have a Problem!!
Richard D. Guyer, MD

 Current Concepts

n INVITED REVIEW
Biologics for Disc Degeneration: The Promise and Pitfalls of Molecular Therapy 
Colin Nelson

n CURVE/COUNTERCURVE
Long-Term Opioid Therapy vs Exercise/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Refractory Chronic Low Back Pain 
Jerome Schofferman, MD; Carol Hartigan, MD; Robert J. Gatchel, PhD

n LITERATURE REVIEW
New from the Journals 
Debdut Biswas; Peter G. Whang; Jonathan N. Grauer, MD; Paul M. Arnold, MD, FACS

n ABSTRACT REVIEW
NASS Annual Meeting Abstracts 
Michael Schaufele, MD; Scott Boden, MD

 Socioeconomics & Politics  

n PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

Nine Steps to Professional Time Management 
Brian S. Foley, MD, MBA

n ETHICAL/LEGAL
Spine Medicine and Surgery: Financial Success and Ethical Practice:
An Oxymoron? 
Jerome Schofferman, MD

n ADVOCACY/LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS/PAC
Medicare Cuts Averted 
Jeffrey J. Wise, MD

n CODING Q & A
New CPT Codes for Percutaneous Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty 
NASS Nonsurgical Coding Committee, Dave O'Brien, MD, Chair

n TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

Motorized Lumbar Traction Devices: What's the Evidence 
Mark Tyburski, MD; Venu Akuthota, MD 
 

 NASS News