Institutional Conflicts of Interest in Academic Research

• Published in: Science and engineering ethics Vol. 25; no. 6; pp. 1661 - 1669
• Main Author: Resnik, David B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.12.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bias; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Clinical trials; College campuses; Conflict of Interest; Conflicts of interest; Corporate sponsorship; Curricula; Decision Making; Education; Engineering; Ethics; Ethics Committees; Ethics, Research; Gene therapy; Human subjects; Humans; Intellectual property; Medical schools; Medicine/Public Health; Organizations - ethics; Original Paper; Philosophy; Philosophy of Science; Public health; R&D; Research & development; Research funding; Research Support as Topic - ethics; Robotics; Universities - ethics; Ethics; Trustees; Academic institutions; Conflict of interest; Bias; Research; Public trust
• ISSN: 1353-3452; 1471-5546; 1471-5546
• DOI: 10.1007/s11948-015-9702-9

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.