Analysis of the conflicts of interest disclosed by the program reviewers of the scoliosis research society (SRS) congresses, 2010-2014.

Background Conflicts of interest (COI) between industry and surgeons frequently introduce biases into surgical research. The abstracts submitted for presentation in scientific congresses are usually vetted for any indication of commercial bias. Members of review program committees regularly have recognized qualifications, and therefore certain COI are unavoidable. This study aims to determine the prevalence and magnitude of possible COI among those responsible for the selection of presentations at two important international conferences on spine surgery during a five-year period. Methodology COI declarations by those responsible for the final programs of the annual SRS (Scoliosis Research S…