AAOS Issues Editorial to Address Offensive Advertisement

We are writing to apologize for content that appeared in the January 2024 and March/April 2024 issues of AAOS Now. These AAOS Now issues included an advertisement from ProAssurance, a medical liability insurance provider, that addressed the issue of wrong-site surgery. The advertisement included an image of a female physician of color. Unfortunately, and regrettably, the juxtaposition of the text and image gave the impression that there is some kind of correlation or causation between the woman pictured and the wrong-site surgery issue. It appeared to many that the surgeon pictured had a wrong-site surgery occurrence. This advertisement touched on several negative tropes within orthopaedic surgery. Our internal review and screening process did not comprehend nor appreciate this perspective and allowed the advertisement to be published within AAOS Now. This was a mistake on our part and demonstrated a lack of sensitivity to the perspectives of many of our members, and for this we would like to formally apologize.

As a result, many of our readers were offended and hurt by this content. We are sorry. We should have realized the potential for such damage, particularly considering our country’s history of racial prejudice and discrimination, as well as many of our colleagues’ past and current experiences within the profession.

We are committed to doing better and taking steps in the future to ensure nothing like this happens again within AAOS.

The day we received the initial complaint about the advertisement, AAOS began enacting measures to both address this event and prevent any future similar event. We immediately pulled the advertisement from all AAOS periodicals. We later reached out to J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society (JRGOS) and Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS) to inform them about and apologize for the appearance of the advertisement, as well as detailing the steps we were taking to prevent any future such event. With this editorial, we wish to apologize to all of our members who may have seen the advertisement and been upset by it.

Working with our Executive Committee, Membership Council Chair, and Diversity Advisory Board Chair, we have revised our advertising review and screening process to ensure that future advertisements are vetted more rigorously and with greater awareness and sensitivity to these issues prior to allowing publication. This includes adding another specific layer of both staff and member review. Currently, the chairs of the Membership Council and the Diversity Advisory Board will be involved in this process, and we will develop procedures with these leaders that will guarantee appropriate review going forward. Additionally, all staff involved in advertising review will be receiving additional and specialized training, including incorporating an anti-bias checklist for all advertisements, media training as it relates to all minority groups, and formal implicit bias training. Also, our CEO will continue his focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the staff culture of AAOS, including in recruitment, education, training, and development.

Lastly, we have had a number of discussions with the leadership of ProAssurance to make them aware of the impact their advertisement has had on many members of our profession. They have been receptive and understanding and will be addressing the matter directly with JRGOS and RJOS.

AAOS takes this issue seriously and values and respects the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of all of its members. We are committed to carrying through on our commitment to do better.

Sincerely,

Paul Tornetta III, MD, PhD, FAAOS
President, AAOS

Valerae O. Lewis, MD, FAAOS
Chair, AAOS Membership Council

Holly Tyler-Paris Pilson, MD, FAAOS
Chair, AAOS Diversity Advisory Board

Robert M. Orfaly, MD, MBA, FAAOS
Editor-in-Chief, AAOS Now

Thomas E. Arend Jr
CEO, AAOS