The NIH Blue Ribbon Panel on Conflict of Interest Policies will hold its second meeting on March 12 and 13 on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. A working group of the Advisory Committee to the Director, NIH, the Panel's charge is to:

1. Review the existing laws, regulations, policies, and procedures under which NIH currently operates regarding:

a. Real and apparent financial conflict of interest of NIH staff where compensation or financial benefit from outside sources is received, including consulting arrangements and outside awards;

b. Requirements and policies for the reporting of NIH staff's financial interests, including which interests are subject to public disclosure, and what portion of NIH staff file public disclosures;

2. Make recommendations for improving existing laws, regulations, policies, and procedures as appropriate;

3. Complete the review and development of recommendations within 90 days, and;

4. Provide recommendations to the Advisory Committee to the Director, NIH, for deliberation and final recommendations to the Director, NIH

The Panel co-chairs are Bruce Alberts, Ph.D., President of the National Academy of Sciences, and Norman R. Augustine, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

The agenda for the meeting is available on the NIH web site at http://www.nih.gov/about/director/031204blueribbonagenda.htm.

A Conflict of Interest Information and Resources web site is available at http://www.nih.gov/about/ethics_COI.htm.

Members of the public can submit their comments to the Panel or request an opportunity to give public testimony by sending an e-mail to: blueribbonpanel@mail.nih.gov.

Individuals with disabilities who need Sign Language Interpreters and/or reasonable accommodation to participate in this meeting should contact
Charlene French, Office of Science Policy, National Institutes of Health, Building 1, Room 103, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, phone number
301-496-2122, email: blueribbonpanel@mail.nih.gov or the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339).