The Milne Institute for Healthcare Innovation

Conflicts of interest may occur when an investigator’s research responsibilities compete with his or her private interests, such as financial interests, raising concerns of objectivity and improper gain. Conflicts of interest are inevitable and may exist despite the highest standards of conduct and candor. Fortunately, most conflicts can be successfully resolved and managed without impeding research activities. Gaylord Hospital has adopted a policy requiring the disclosure of actual or potential conflicts of interest. A Gaylord Hospital Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form must be completed and submitted by investigators at the time of submission of research protocols to the IRB and at the time of a re-approval application. After disclosure, if any, the Gaylord Hospital Conflict of Interest Committee reviews the disclosure to determine how best to manage the conflict in a manner that protects both the research participants and the investigator. The policy applies to all investigators of faculty, staff, and students conducting sponsored research, all human subject research, animal subject research and research funded by a formal award from Gaylord Hospital based on submission of a proposal. A conflict of interest is defined as: “A situation associated with an investigator’s participation in Gaylord Hospital research where it reasonably appears, on an actual or potential basis that the investigator’s significant financial interest could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct or reporting of Gaylord Hospital  research activities; or the investigator’s situation could directly and significantly compromise his or her professional commitments or allegiance to Gaylord Hospital.

Potential conflicts of interest and disclosures also apply to IRB members when they are assigned protocol applications for review. IRB members should consider possible or potential conflicts of interest and determine whether a particular role or relationship could affect his or her objectivity before reviewing, participating in a protocol discussion, or voting on a protocol application. Possible relationships to consider include: the IRB member is a listed investigator or advisor on an application; the member has a familial or close personal relationship with the investigator; the member holds a financial interest in the outcome of the research; or other concerns that warrant abstaining from review, deliberation and voting on a protocol. In the event of a potential conflict of interest, the IRB member should not accept the protocol for review and return the application for assignment to another member; or at full review meetings, any member(s) should disclose conflicts or simply state that participation is not appropriate and then recuse themselves from discussion and voting on the protocol.