NOT-OD-03-026: PUBLICATION OF "FINANCIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST – OBJECTIVITY IN RESEARCH: INSTITUTIONAL POLICY REVIEW"

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
NIH... Turning Discovery Into Health^®

PUBLICATION OF "FINANCIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST   OBJECTIVITY IN RESEARCH:
INSTITUTIONAL POLICY REVIEW" 

RELEASE DATE:  February 10, 2003

NOTICE:  NOT-OD-03-026

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the 
publication of "Financial Conflict of Interest: Objectivity in Research 
- NIH Review of Institutional Conflict of Interest Policies" 
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi/nih_review.htm).  The document 
is available on the Conflict of Interest website 
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi/index.htm), which is linked to 
the Office of Extramural Research (OER) homepage 
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/OER.htm) under Grants Topics/Grants 
Policy and Guidance (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm). 

During 2002, the National Institutes of Health requested 300 
institutions to provide a copy of their policy on financial conflict of 
interest as described in Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
Part 50, Subpart F, "Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting 
Objectivity in Research for Which PHS Funding is Sought."  (For NIH 
contractors, the corollary regulation is Title 45 CFR Part 94, 
Responsible Prospective Contractors.)  The purpose of the review was to 
allow the NIH the opportunity to:  (1) develop a broad view of how 
these policies are implemented by an array of institutions; and (2) 
provide a reasonable assessment of compliance with the provisions of 
the PHS regulation.  The information in this document is based on the 
review of a representative sample of over 100 policies from a mix of 
institutions consisting of public and private academic institutions, 
public and private research institutions, hospitals, and large and 
small for-profit organizations.  

The document is organized in three sections:  (1) Findings; (2) Helpful 
Suggestions and Areas of Concern; and (3) Other Issues to Consider.  
The first section provides specific information related to the review 
of the policies.  The second section provides helpful suggestions for 
consideration when developing a financial conflict of interest policy 
and areas of concern that were noted during the review.  The third 
section provides additional issues for consideration when revising or 
enhancing current financial conflict of interest policies with the 
intent of improving compliance with Federal regulations.

NIH is making this document available to the broader biomedical 
research community as an educational tool to promote awareness of and 
compliance with Federal financial conflict of interest regulations.   
For additional resources related to financial conflict of interest, 
please visit the following links:

OER Conflict of Interest page:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi

NIH Grants Policy Statement (3/01), Financial Conflict of Interest:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2001/part_iia_1.htm#
_Toc504811782

Proactive Compliance Site Visits FY 2000-FY 2002:  A Compendium of 
Findings and Observations: 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/compliance/compendium_2002.htm

INQUIRIES
Questions about financial conflict of interest may be directed to the 
Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight staff at (301) 435-0949.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices