Ethical considerations in the orthopaedic relationship with industry.

Members of the medical profession spend a long time and financial resources acquiring the knowledge necessary for the discharge of their responsibilities; therefore, they should be appropriately compensated for the services they provide. However, it has become obvious, at least in the United States, that excessive emphasis on profit making is fostering the transformation of the medical profession into strictly a business. This transformation is spawning ethical infractions, which are becoming increasingly apparent.