Disclosing interests and managing conflicts of interest
A conflict of interest exists where an independent observer might reasonably conclude that the professional actions of a person are or may be unduly influenced by other interests. The perception that a conflict of interest exists is a serious matter and can raise concerns about the integrity of individuals or the management practices of the institution, potentially undermining community trust in research.
Transparency in disclosing interests and managing conflicts of interests:
- Maintains the integrity and reliability of the conduct and outcomes of research
- Mitigates the risks associated with the complex relationships between researchers and public and private organisations
- Builds public trust in individuals and institutions involved in research.
Alfred Health personnel are expected to be familiar and adhere to the Competing Interests policy and guideline available from PROMPT.
Alfred Health personnel have an ongoing responsibility to consider their private financial and non-financial interests and to identify any competing interests that may arise.
Further to the policy and guideline, personnel conducting research must comply with the Australian Code for Responsible Conduct of Research, 2018 and disclose interests relevant to the research at the time of ethics submission, site specific assessment and if circumstances change during the course of the research.
Disclosure of interests
Financial interests are foremost in the public mind but other interests may be relevant, including personal, familial, professional and institutional interests.
Examples of interests include:
- Direct payments to personnel, e.g. salary, consultancy payments, speaking fees, panel memberships
- Indirect payments to personnel, e.g. conference and travel, accommodation, professional development, hospitality
- Payments to support research, such as funding or grants from industry or interest groups
- Company shares/options
- Royalties
- Directorships
- Operational or infrastructure support, such as equipment, recruitment incentives, milestone payments
- Board memberships
- Personal, social or professional relationships including employment or roles in organisations that could stand to benefit or be affected by the research.
In the HREA (core ethics application document) members of the research team, including persons not listed in the form, must declare any financial or nonfinancial interests related to the research. This information is reviewed by the Ethics Committee
In the SSA (site specific assessment form) the research team must identify affiliations or financial interests that investigators, their family members, or the site may have in the research project or its outcomes. Investigators sign the SSA declaration that the information in the form is truthful and accurate. This information is reviewed by the Director of Research.
Appendix B of the Competing Interests guideline can be used to disclose interests arising from changes during the conduct of the research.
Management actions may include one or more of the following:
- Requiring the public disclosure of the interests
- Involving an appropriate individual to oversee some or all of the research activity
- Requiring the researcher to absent themselves from any deliberative decision making regarding the research
- Requiring the researcher to play a different or reduced role in some or all of the research
- Requiring the researcher to relinquish financial or other interests.
Alfred Health personnel are required to make accurate financial disclosures to external bodies providing funding, editors of journals to whom manuscripts are submitted and the readers of their published work.
See the NHMRC Disclosure of interests and management of conflicts of interest guide, 2019.