Financial Conflicts of Interest
A financial conflict of interest (FCOI) FCOIin research may occur when outside financial interests compromise or appear to compromise the professional judgment of the researcher during the design, conduct or reporting of research. Having a conflict of interest is not discouraged or necessarily considered to be a problem if it is managed appropriately.
The University seeks to maintain the appropriate balance between all competing interests that may have the potential to bias the design, conduct or reporting of research. Conflicts of interest can be a serious problem if they are not made known to the university. If discovered, an undisclosed conflict of interest may result in concerns regarding the integrity of the research, and harm the reputation of the researcher and the university.
Federal Regulations about Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) for grants (Title 42 CFR Part 50 Subpart F) and research contracts (Title 45 CFR Part 94) require federally supported investigators to disclose to their institution any significant financial interests that would reasonably appear to affect their research.
The FHSU FCOI policy and procedures are part of a process to identify and manage financial conflicts of interest in compliance with agency specific regulations, minimize burden on faculty and administrators, and appropriately manage risk. It is our intent to foster a culture of compliance, fairness and transparency.
Research funded by the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) have regulations requiring researchers to:
- Complete FCOI training (see CITI training for instructions)
- Submit annual FCOI disclosures
- Report reimbursed/sponsored travel
- Report significant FCOI for review
Significant financial interests disclosures and FCOI training must be completed PRIOR to submission of requests for PHS funds and applies to all new awards.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
- Center for Medicaid and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- Indian Health Service (IHS)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Additionally, some non-federal organizations also follow PHS disclosure requirements for FCOI compliance, such as the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and others. Check with the Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects if you are not certain.
Commitment of Time, Conflict of Interest, Consulting and Other Employment
In adherence to the KBOR Conflict of Interest policy, all faculty and unclassified staff must complete an annual reporting of consulting arrangements, significant financial or managerial interests and outside employment. Learn more about the policy and reporting requirements in chapter 4 of the Faculty and Unclassified Staff handbook.