Although the term spin is generally used to imply a rapid rotation or twirling of an object, it was Melville who added new meaning to the word when he referred to “fellows who spin interminable yarns.” The year 2000 saw the art of spinning brought to new heights during the election campaign and the postelection recount. It was not unusual to hear a candidate replying to a question with an answer that was totally unrelated to what was being asked or to listen to advocates commenting on the same issue providing viewpoints that were diametrically opposite. One might expect such situations in the political arena, but spin has insidiously invaded many other aspects of our personal and professional lives, often without our actually being aware of what is occurring. Although spin is sometimes dismissed as simple euphemism for lying, it is actually more subtle. Michael Kinsley has described spinning as an indifference to the truth. It involves describing a reality that suits one's purpose; whether it resembles true reality does not appear to be an issue. It also involves not being concerned about inconsistency between what is said at one time or another. Spinning starts with the conclusion that one wishes to reach and then coming up with an argument to support it. We have come to expect such behavior from politicians, and thus we have generally learned to filter out the truth from the distortion in these situations. However, we may not be as adept at doing this in other circumstances. A good example is in advertising. Despite the emphasis on truth in advertising, marketing is but another term for spin. We see this daily in the print media as well as on television, where manufacturers attempt to entice the public into purchasing their products with images of exotic venues, flashy automobiles, macho men, and beautiful women. Spin has even spread to the drug industry, with direct advertising to the public in an attempt to encourage viewers to influence their doctors to prescribe certain medications for their medical problems. As health professionals, we may be able to recognize such ploys, but are we just as astute when it comes to advertising directed at us? We have an duty to our patients to view such material critically and to look beyond the claims for proof of efficacy and true advantages over currently established therapeutic approaches before being enticed to make a change. Although we are often unaware of the fact, our patients sometimes also use spin in an attempt to influence our diagnostic judgment or affect our therapeutic decisions. This may be reflected in an exaggeration of symptoms, the omission or denial of past events that may have contributed to their condition, or the inclusion of complaints that have no logical physiologic or anatomic explanation. Such situations are frequently encountered in patients with chronic pain, especially those who are seeking analgesic and narcotic drugs. The challenge is to separate fact from fiction so that these patients receive the appropriate treatment for both their physical and emotional problems. Finally, we run the risk of being bombarded with spin from our professional colleagues. Although this can occur in the interpretation of the findings in published clinical studies, having the data permits one to arrive at his or her own conclusions. However, when data is not provided, or it is based strictly on the author's subjective evaluation of the results, the task may be more difficult. At least the information is in printed form and can be critically reviewed. This is not possible when one listens to a lecture and the data is rapidly flashed on the screen or a statement is made without any substantiation other than the enthusiastic endorsement of the speaker. This can be spin in its ultimate form. We have an obligation to practice evidence-based treatment, but lecturers have an even greater obligation not to use their professional stature to spin the truth in an attempt to support their position. As professionals, we have an ethical responsible to our patients and our colleagues to be absolutely honest in our interactions with them. We may not be able to control the media, but we can certainly keep our professional relationships from spinning out of control. As an old Swedish proverb states, “It is better to suffer from the truth than to be rewarded for a lie.”