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Policy

More Conflict of Interest Problems for NIH

Research funding: Inspector general finds agency not scrutinizing how institutions manage grantees financial conflicts

by Britt E. Erickson
November 20, 2009

The National Institutes of Health is not paying close attention to how institutions are managing potential conflicts of interest by their NIH-funded researchers, according to a report released Nov. 19 by the Inspector General of the Department of Health & Human Services. The report calls on NIH to increase its oversight of grantee institutions and develop new regulations that address such conflicts.

The report points out that 90% of grantee institutions rely solely on the researcher to determine which conflicts to report. "Given the complex nature of researchers' conflicts and the vulnerabilities that exist regarding their identification and management, there is a need for more transparency about and oversight of grantee institutions," the report concludes.

The most common financial conflict reported by researchers is equity ownership, such as owning stock, in a company, according to the report. Other conflicts were related to researchers inventing technology, consulting, or holding positions with external companies.

The report also finds that grantee institutions often use disclosure to manage conflicts, such as requiring a researcher to disclose a potential conflict in publications or presentations. But rarely did institutions eliminate or reduce the conflict.

NIH has long said that it is not in a position to manage external grantees' conflicts. The agency funded more than 325,000 investigators at more than 3,000 institutions in FY 2008, according to the IG report. But the agency announced in May that it is considering revising its conflicts of interest rules, following a similar IG report released last year.

In comments submitted to the Office of Inspector General, NIH stated that it "takes its compliance oversight responsibilities very seriously and is committed to preserving the public trust in objective scientific research."

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