Financial Relationships: Any proposed or actual financial remuneration from either: (a) ineligible companies, or (b) a professional medical association. Such financial relationships can include: employment, researcher, consultant, advisor, speaker, independent contractor, royalties or patent beneficiary, executive role, and ownership interest.
Ineligible Companies: Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is in producing, marketing, selling, re-selling or distributing health care products used by or on patients. Some examples include: device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies or distributors, health-related wearable products, bio-medical startups, or any advertising companies related to any of these entities already listed. NASS also includes, within the definition of “ineligible companies”, insurance companies (in an employment capacity only) or any entities that are in the development stage for any of the aforementioned activities and devoting substantially all of its efforts to these tasks, regardless of if operations have not yet officially begun or have begun but without significant revenue.
Relevant Financial Relationships: Financial relationships of any dollar amount are considered Relevant Financial Relationships if the educational or scientific content is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.
Non-financial Relationships: Any proposed or actual influential office or role held with either: (a) ineligible companies (b) a professional medical association, even when no financial renumeration is exchanged. Such non-financial relationships can include: board of directors, scientific advisory board, officer, committee chair, or any other position that has influence within the organization.
Participant(s): An individual involved in any NASS-related activity, such as: those who serve in committee and leadership positions within the society, authors, including but not limited to abstracts, The Spine Journal (TSJ), SpineLine, Contemporary Concepts and Clinical Guidelines, speakers, faculty, moderators, panelists or reviewers for any NASS-related events.
Stock/Security: An interest based on an investment in a common enterprise, including: a note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in a profit sharing agreement. It also includes private investments such as venture capital or investments in start-up companies which have undetermined future value potential. It does not include investments in diversified mutual funds.