Sales Representatives in the Operating Room: Conflict of Interest or Clinical Support?

Background: The Physician Payment Sunshine Act, which became federal law in January 2012, mandated that medical device manufacturers must disclose any financial support provided to individual physicians on a publicly available Web site. The law reflects increasing concern about physician-industry relationships.

Methods: The connection between surgeon and sales representative creates possibilities for both financial and non-financial conflicts of interest (COIs).

The Enforceability of Noncompete Clauses in the Medical Profession: A Review by the Workforce Committee and the Medicolegal Committee of the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies.

Background: In both academic and private practice, noncompete clauses are common in many neurological surgery contracts. Noncompete agreements vary, depending on various factors, including the surgeon's subspecialty, location, and business-related considerations. Each individual state's law on contracts determines the extent to which noncompete clauses are enforceable.