Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment
A Conflict of Interest (COI) exists when an Investigator's personal considerations or outside interests affect, or appear to affect, their judgment in conducting sponsored research or other Institutional Responsibilities. Examples of COI include Significant Financial Interests, Business Interests, and Familial Conflicts of Interest.
The University values Employees' participation in outside activities but requires that these do not conflict with their commitment to conducting University research without improper influence. Employees must disclose all actual or potential COIs to the University.
The Boston College Conflicts of Interest in Research Policy and Procedures outlines the principles for identifying and addressing COIs to ensure they do not improperly affect research. By reporting and managing conflicts early, the University and Investigators can prevent harmful outcomes.
Disclosures of COIs should be made on grant proposals, IRB protocol proposals, and intellectual property agreements. To assist in identifying and managing COIs, the University has a Conflict of Interest Committee to evaluate disclosures and develop management plans if necessary. Managing even the perception of a COI is crucial to maintain public trust in research. Guidelines on acceptable external affiliations are available in the Resources section at the bottom of this page.
Questions
For general questions about COI policy, outside interest disclosure, COI review, and management plans, please email researchintegrity@bc.edu
For Investigators who are full-time faculty with questions about accessing Interfolio or needing to review or update their COI disclosure form, please email vpfaculty@bc.edu
For Investigators who are staff members with questions about updates to their COI disclosure form, please email researchintegrity@bc.edu
Training
Investigators engaging in or planning to engage in Public Health Service (PHS) and/or Department of Energy (DOE) funded research must complete financial conflict of interest training on investigator responsibilities before starting the research and at least once every four years. The training, hosted through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative Program (CITI), must be refreshed every four years for the duration of the research project.
PIs听have the responsibility to ensure that all individuals meeting the regulation's definition of an investigator have taken the mandatory FCOI training prior to engaging in the project's research.
Reference Materials
External Links
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