CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Prudent stewardship of public funds that support research programs requires that appropriate steps be taken to ensure high quality results. Therefore, recipient organizations must establish safeguards to prevent employees, consultants, or members of governing bodies from using their positions for purposes that are, or give the appearance of being, motivated by a desire for private financial gain for themselves or others such as those with whom they have family, business, or other ties. Therefore, each institution receiving PHS funds must have written policy guidelines on conflict of interest and avoidance thereof. These guidelines should reflect state and local laws and must cover financial interests, gifts, gratuities and favors, nepotism, and other areas such as political participation and bribery. These rules must also indicate how outside activities, relationships, and financial interests are reviewed by the responsible and objective institution official(s).

In addition, the institution has the responsibility for maintaining objectivity in research by ensuring that the design, conduct, or reporting of research will not be biased by any conflicting financial interest of investigators responsible for the research in accord with the provisions of PHS regulations 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart F, and 45 CFR Part 94. (/grants/guide/notice-files/not95-179.html). See also (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coifaq.htm) for frequently asked questions about research investigator financial conflict of interest and Part II of the NIH Grants Policy Statement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part4.htm#_Toc54600065). For information on the workshop on conflict of interest, held on the NIH campus on September 30, 2002, see the Conflict of Interest Workshop Summary (MS Word or PDF).

Institutions which identify research investigator financial conflicts of interest are required to report the conflicts to the NIH Grants Management Officer (GMO) at the NIH Institute or Center (I/C) which funds or will fund the project. Questions should be directed to I/C GMO's at the address shown on NIH notices of grant awards.