NASS Disclosure - What will it look like in 2009

The Spine Blogger recently analyzed the 2008 NASS Annual Meeting Disclosure Index.  Roughly 1200 surgeons were disclosed in the Index.  An estimated 35% acknowledged that they had some vested interest whether it be major and minor stock ownership, speaking arrangements, seats on scientific advisory boards, royalties, research and educational grants and loans from sponsors.  Another 35% claimed to have "nothing to disclose." Upon careful examination of these names, most of these surgeons looked like they were from either Europe, South America or Asia.  The other 30% claimed to have "nothing to disclose" yet, upon careful examination, some of these names have been known to structure a deal or two within the industry.  Spineblogger poses this question; Will the new mandate by the NASS Ethics Committee really help in providing transparency or will this be another AdvaMed?  Spineblogger poses the next question: Believing that a surgeon should be compensated for consulting on a project, What constitutes equitable compensation?  And, Where does the industry draw the line?