Conflict of Interest Teaching Tools

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A conflict of interest exists when a competing interest has the potential to influence the conduct of professional responsibilities such as teaching, research, and advising/mentoring. Conflicts of interest may fall into one of three categories:

• Financial conflicts - the existence of a significant financial business interest that has the potential to bias research in some fashion. For example, a researcher being funded by a private sponsor may feel pressured to report results in favor of the company position in order to ensure continuing funding.
• Conflicts of conscience - when a personal, moral perspective conflicts with professional responsibilities. For example, a researcher may morally object to research using embryonic stem cells or on materials used to make defense weaponry.
• Conflicts of commitment - when the amount of time committed to responsibilities conflicts. For example, a researcher may commit to spending 30% of her time on a grant, but only spends 15% because she has committed to too many other activities.

Typically, the greatest concern about conflicts of interests arises in the financial area due to the possibility that a financial interest may introduce bias. However, the fact that a financial conflict exists, does not mean that an activity cannot take place. In fact, many financial relationships are considered healthy to the university community. For example, entrepreneurial activities such as patenting, establishing start up companies, and consulting are encouraged as they bring financial gain as well as prestige.

Some areas of potential concern that have been identified when research is sponsored by industry or when an opportunity exists to commercialize research results are:

• The outcomes of the research may be biased in favor of the sponsoring company.
• The development of proprietary information that will not readily be published runs counter to traditional university climates of openness.
• The research questions being asked may be more limited in scope (based on the specific needs of the sponsor) rather than broad based, novel questions that will further the field of study in general.

Other situations when a potential conflict of interst could arise occur when an individual:

• is in a position to gain financially form the procurement of equipment using university/research funds.
• accepts "gifts" in return for recommending vendors or products.
• accepts honoraria for speaking engagements and expense reimbursement above normally accepted amounts.
• engages in consulting and is in a position to disclose confidential information to a company.
• involved in peer review of a manuscript or proposal has as vested interest in ensuring a positive result, delaying a positive result, or bringing about a negative outcome.
• is in a position to be paid from more than one source for work on the same or similar projects.

Arguments both for and against the concerns identified have been voiced. However, it is not possible to say for certain that a business or personal interest will in fact influence decisions. Thus, rather than avoiding or eliminating research where there may be a significant financial business or personal interest, the objective is to disclose and manage it to further the transparency of research. Generally, institutions, including Penn State, have procedures in place for disclosure.

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