Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Academic Research

Abstract

Financial relationships in academic research can create institutional conflicts of interest (COIs) because the financial interests of the institution or institutional officials may inappropriately influence decision-making. Strategies for dealing with institutional COIs include establishing institutional COI committees that involve the board of trustees in conflict review and management, developing policies that shield institutional decisions from inappropriate influences, and establishing private foundations that are independent of the institution to own stock and intellectual property and to provide capital to start-up companies.

The World Health Organization, Corporate Power, and the Prevention and Management of Conflicts of Interest in Nutrition Policy Comment on "Towards Preventing and Managing Conflict of Interest in Nutrition Policy? An Analysis of Submissions to a Consultation on a Draft WHO Tool"

“…The WHO's efforts to outline recommendations to manage corporate influence in nutrition policy and practice in the draft tool involve adapting the concept of 'institutional conflicts of interest, ' which, in effect, covers circumstances where corporate actors' interests are not aligned with governments' public health priorities. 2,33 Ralston and colleagues' analysis of commercial actors' response to this innovation illustrate a confused mix of issue definition and claims to complexity and overreach.…”

The Importance of Ethics in Modern Universities of Technology

“…In his contribution 'Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Academic Research', David Resnik extends discussions of conflicts of interest to the level of institutions (Resnik 2015). For example, institutional officials may have individual financial relationships that may inappropriately influence decision-making, and, together or separately, can give rise to an institutional conflict of interest (iCOI).…”

Massive Faculty Donations and Institutional Conflicts of Interest

“…Besides disclosure, experts advocate a system of conflict management, empowering COI committees with external representatives having real authority, as well as the separation and prohibition of some institutional responsibilities. 13,19,30 Donations to universities, on the other hand, are typically announced with fanfare to encourage imitators. Transparency, therefore, does not ordinarily play a significant role when ICOIs have their origins in donations from individuals.…”