Conflict of Interest Policy

In Relation to Industry

To Whom this Policy Applies

All faculty, trainees, and staff at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and the School of Medicine practice plan.

Who Needs to Know This Policy

All faculty, trainees, and staff at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and the School of Medicine practice plan.

Purpose/Background

The School of Medicine has policy and structures in place to protect against potential conflicts of interest. We use best practices in policy including disclosure and other steps to protect the integrity of professional judgments and to preserve public trust in physicians, researchers, and academic medical institutions. It is a supplement to the University of Nevada, Reno Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy.

Policy

Everyone covered under this policy is required to annually make a full disclosure for review and approval by the UNR Med (COI) committee of all industry affiliations and industry sponsored activities and must complete an updated disclosure within 30 days of discovering or acquiring a new interest.

No industry representatives are permitted to market their products on UNR Med grounds or clinics. Exceptions must be approved by the COI committee and by the Department Chair. Representatives may only meet with faculty by appointment in faculty offices. All requests for demonstrations of research products and laboratory equipment will be submitted to chair of the UNR Med COI Committee for a basic sciences expedited review, and may not require full committee approval.

Participation in industry marketing activities such as participation on a speakers' bureau is not allowed.
No gift, food, office supplies, scholarships or non-CME training funds from industry are permitted. Travel support must be disclosed and approved by the COI committee following the AAMC guidelines. Pharmaceutical samples, training devices and equipment are restricted to those required for use of patient education only (i.e. insulin, inhalers, and injectables). Industry supported meals are prohibited (see 4).
No restricted funding of CME will be permitted.

No ghost-written or ghost-analyzed scholarly products are permitted. Sponsors of research will have no editorial rights over manuscripts or abstracts. University researchers will track the sponsors' use of clinical data and will include in all protocols the right to analyze and publish or publicize results of clinical research in the event that a sponsor does not publish them within two years of the conclusion of the study.

No industry-produced teaching materials will be permitted for trainees outside of PEW foundation guidelines regarding medical device representatives.

All Practice Plan purchasing decisions will exclude individuals with potential industry conflicts.

All trainees will receive instruction on these institutional policies and how industry promotion can influence professional judgment.

Definitions

  1. Industry - Biomedical, pharmaceutical, and medical commercial entities that make, market, or distribute supplies, devices, equipment, products, or services that are used in research, in the treatment of patients or the provision of medical care. "Industry" does not include hospitals or federally qualified health centers with an affiliation agreement with UNR Med and/or UNR Med clinical teaching site affiliates (7). "Industry" does not include insurers, managed care organizations or other similar entities licensed under Title 57 of the Nevada Revised Statures (also known as the Nevada Insurance Code).
  2. Trainees - All students (undergraduate and graduate students, medical students, residents and fellows) on all UNR Med campuses, research settings, and off campus teaching sites.
  3. Gifts - All gifts regardless of value. "Gifts" do not include attendance or admission to events sponsored by hospitals with an affiliation agreement with UNR Med and/or UNR Med clinical teaching site affiliates.
  4. Exempt meals - Routine meals provided by a clinical teaching site affiliate during assigned work hours are exempt. Industry - supported meals are prohibited. Affiliate events outside of assigned work hours are subject
    to expedited COI committee review; following submission by individual or program.
  5. Restricted - This indicates that industry may not direct or restrict the content or the speaker for CME activities.
  6. Medical device representatives presence in clinical education settings- are only permitted to provide in-service training and technical assistance on devices and other equipment and then only by appointment. Task Force Recommendations on Relationship with Industry.
  7. Affiliates - Clinical teaching partners who have current affiliation agreements with UNR Med.

Responsibilities & Procedures

The UNR Med COI Committee is responsible for defining, identifying and managing potential conflicts of interest as it relates to private commercial interests such as pharmaceutical companies, medical supply companies and biomedical technology in their interactions with UNR Med faculty, students, residents and staff. The committee acts to review, approve or deny requests for exceptions to COI policy, negotiates and oversees COI management plans and helps to disseminate information to inform and educate the UNR Med community about COI. The committee reviews and revises the UNR Med COI policy annually, for approval by the Med Executive Committee.