AANS Corporate/Leadership Council Convenes its Second Summit –Summer 2008 in Chicago *Hot topics include the changing medical environment, ethics, data collection & outcomes research

Michele S. Gregory

AANS corporate relations efforts continue to reach new heights!

Leaders and staff from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) met with representatives from eight of its 13 Pinnacle Partners in Neurosurgery participating companies in Chicago in July 2008 for the second annual AANS Corporate/Leadership Council Meeting.

The AANS CLC consists of members of the AANS Board of Directors, the Development Committee chair, and various other members of the association’s volunteer leadership, as well as top leadership from all of the participating companies of the AANS Pinnacle Partners in Neurosurgery corporate giving program. This summer the CLC met again to further its goal of creating a collaborative environment that responds to the needs of neurosurgeons and the corporate community through discussion of neurosurgical education, research, advocacy and patient care.

The day's agenda addressed topics currently facing neurosurgeons and industry partners alike including the state of relationships between associations and industry, current developments in medicine and neurosurgery, and future directions for the specialty of neurosurgery related to drugs, devices and education for surgeons. The discussions were lively, drifting towards conflict of interest and ethics, a topic one cannot escape reading about in the New York Times or Wall Street Journal these days. "It is vital for industry to be able to work with surgeons to continue to innovate in spine, seeking improvement in products to provide care for patients," stated Bill Christianson, Worldwide Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and External Relations for DePuy Spine, a Johnson and Johnson company. "Meetings such as the AANS Corporate/Leadership Council allows industry and surgeons to provide their perspectives to each other, and to seek mutually beneficial ways to continue to work together to provide advancements in patient care."

As was the case last year, this year's meeting generated a number of action items and areas of follow-up for all involved. Highlights include the exploration of opportunities to positively promote relationships between corporate partners and the AANS, possibly through public awareness or public service campaigns, the idea of third-party management of fellowship funding, and creating more opportunities, through the AANS Annual Meeting and AANS Neurosurgeon, to promote ethical behavior and decision-making. Other ideas included examining the feasibility of developing a "Panel of Experts" to review clinical trial methodology, study design and the efficacy of data collected for corporate partner while also explore the resurgence of corporate-supported CME education courses for board-certified neurosurgeons and neuro-nurses. Additional areas of interest included outcomes research, neurosurgical fellowships and funding for research and education initiatives.

"We are proud to say that a number of 2007 CLC Meeting action items, including the recently adopted Guidelines for Industry-Neurosurgeon Conflicts of Interest, were accomplished," confirmed William T. Couldwell, MD, PhD, chair of the AANS Development Committee. A number of other items, as well as 2008 action items are currently being addressed.

The AANS Pinnacle Partners in Neurosurgery program began in 2004 as a way for corporate partners to positively impact the future of neurosurgical research and education, beyond their traditional support of the AANS. In 2006, the AANS’ vision of offering resident education courses became a reality, thanks to the investment of Pinnacle Partners in supporting these much needed, highly desired educational offerings for neurosurgeons-in-training. Since 2006, 15 resident education courses have been offered to residents through investments made by Pinnacle Partners.

The mission of the AANS CLC is to provide a forum for discussion and collaboration between the AANS and its corporate partners on issues related to neurosurgical education, research, advocacy and patient care. "The Corporate/Leadership Council continues to be an important part AANS' corporate relations program because it provides a forum for open discuss and the generation of and it will play a key role in the future of AANS' (resident) educational and research-related initiatives," stated Dr. Couldwell. The group plans to meet each summer, in addition to scheduling individual corporate visits throughout the rest of the year. On-site visits with AANS leadership, staff and Pinnacle Partners are ongoing and provide another opportunity to dialogue about important issues affecting everyone in the field of neurosurgery.

The companies represented at the meeting included:

• Boston Scientific Neurovascular
• Carl Zeiss Meditec
• Codman, a Johnson & Johnson company
• DePuy Spine, a Johnson & Johnson company
• Kyphon Inc.
• Medtronic
• Micrus Endovascular Corporation
• Sythes

Representatives from the remaining Pinnacle Partners in Neurosurgery participants, Cordis Neurovascular Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, ev3, Integra, and Stryker Spine, were unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts and weather-related issues, but like the other participants, they too are committed to the AANS and this program.

The AANS is committed to working closely with its corporate partners to advance the field of neurosurgery through education, research and improvements in patient care. Working together, we will make a difference.

To learn more about the Pinnacle Partners in Neurosurgery program or the AANS CLC, contact the AANS Director of Development at 847/378-0540 or msg@aans.org.