RESEARCH COMPLIANCE - Back
Conflict of Interest and Commitment
Training Module
Can I do sponsored research and be a paid
consultant for the sponsor? When is there a conflict of interest
with an NIH grant? Can I participate in a start-up company?
Why is conflict of interest a concern in human subject research?
As these questions demonstrate, the corporate
sector plays an increasingly important role in research activities
at Johns Hopkins. Interactions with companies can benefit research
and the bench-to-bedside mission. But the financial incentives
that accompany some arrangements with industry can generate
conflicts of interest. While conflicts of interest are not necessarily
problematic, in some cases they call into question the integrity
of research and other professional activity and they may increase
the risk to human subjects.
To help faculty and staff identify conflicts
of interest and comply with the School of Medicine’s new
policy on conflict of interest (adopted in June 2002), the Dean’s
Office is launching a web-based training course on conflict
of interest and conflict of commitment. The course covers the
ethical, policy, and regulatory aspects of conflict of interest
and illustrates the issues with case examples.
All individuals covered under the conflict
of interest policy will be required to take the training course,
which is located online at https://secure.lwservers.net.
Individuals covered by the policy include all faculty, staff,
trainees, students, administrators and researchers who are compensated
or otherwise supported by the Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine for their services. The complete policy is available
online at http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/research/
policies_conflict.html#policy_coi.
The table below outlines the dates by
which various faculty and staff must complete the Conflict of
Interest and Commitment Training Module.
| By
October 31, 2003 |
| Category |
Failure to pass results in… |
|
|
- CCOI results will not be communicated to conflicted
individual(s) until all individuals involved in the
case have passed the course
|
- Individuals submitting private agreements with outside
entities to OPC for review and approval
|
- OPC will not begin to process agreements until the
individual has passed the course
|
| By December 31, 2003 |
| Category |
Failure to pass results in… |
- Departments are responsible for ensuring that all
faculty, staff, administrators, and researchers have
completed the course
- All students and trainees must complete the course
|
- Protocols submitted to JHM IRB or WIRB that have an
associated conflict of interest will not be approved
until all individuals listed on the protocol have passed
the course
- Departments will be subject to periodic audit to ensure
that all members of the department have completed and
passed the course
|
For additional information concerning
the new required Conflict of Interest and Commitment Training
Module and a list of frequently asked questions, please refer
to the following website: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/research/coi_
training_module.html.
New OPC Assistant Director
Sarah Kurz, M.B.A., M.P.H. recently was
promoted to Assistant Director of the Office of Policy Coordination.
Ms. Kurz's responsibilities include staffing the School of Medicine's
conflict of interest review process, supervising review of faculty
consulting agreements, and administering the Conflict of Interest
and Commitment Training Module.
