Transparency is the new religion in the health care world and two trade groups - AdvaMed and Eucomed, which represent medical device makers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean - released a statement today in which they have agreed to urge their members to adhere their respective ethics codes for guiding interactions with doctors and other health care professionals [UPDATE: We wrote earlier that the two groups are adopting the same code].

The effort to adhere to an ethics code has been a work in progress. Both groups had previously adopted guidelines. Eucomed, for instance, approved rules two years ago and issued a framework earlier this year before releasing a final version today. And AdvaMed issued its own code last summer. The codes cover the usual gamut of issues - continuing medical education; grants; gifts and freebies; speaking and consulting fees; meals and royalty payments.