Transparency and Honest Disclosure: which items must fee-for-service advocates disclose?

• A. They must disclose fees, training, education, and credentials.
• B. They must disclose their fees only and nothing else.
• C. They must disclose preferences but not their contracts with manufacturers.
• D. They must disclose fees, training, education, experience, credentials, existing contractual relationships with manufacturers or distributors, provide CV/resume and references upon request, and a service agreement with terms.

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that full transparency is essential to care, so clients can clearly see how the advocate is paid, what expertise they bring, and whether any relationships could influence guidance. The strongest disclosure package includes everything that could reasonably affect trust or decision-making: the fees charged, the training and education earned, the advocate’s experience and credentials, any existing contractual relationships with manufacturers or distributors, a CV or resume and references upon request, and the service agreement with its terms. Providing this full information helps clients assess qualifications, potential biases, and the reliability of the advice they’ll receive, which supports informed consent and autonomy.

Disclosing only fees, or sharing preferences without revealing contracts or credentials, leaves critical gaps. Clients won’t know how the advocate is compensated beyond price, what specialized training they hold, or whether there are external ties that could color recommendations. A partial disclosure stance undermines trust and can conceal potential conflicts of interest.