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Member Conflict of Interest (COI) and Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI)

This refers to situations in which a committee/board member and or his/her immediate family has personal interests (COI) or financial interests (FCOI) that may compromise, or have the appearance of compromising, the person’s professional judgment in reviewing research. Institutional Conflict of Interest (ICOI) may occur when the institution, any of its senior management or trustees, or a department, school, or other sub-unit, has an external relationship, or financial interest in a company that itself has a financial interest in a research project. A member, and or his/her immediate family, may have a COI that relates to the company that is providing support for a proposed study.

 

  • If you have a financial or non-financial conflict of interest, you cannot be present for the discussion or vote. You should recuse yourself and announce to staff that you are doing so in order for the minutes to reflect your recusal. Recusals cannot be counted toward quorum.
  • The committee may ask a recused member with a FCOI or COI to return to the meeting to answer specific questions about the protocol in question. After the questions are answered, the member with the COI or FCOI should again leave the meeting during further discussion and voting.
  • Members are required to file a FCOI disclosure regarding all potential sponsors. The disclosure must be updated on an annual basis and more frequently when significant changes have occurred.
  • Members and administrative staff are required to leave the room during the discussion of research protocols involving sponsors with whom they have a potential FCOI. Members with a conflict of interest are not counted towards quorum.
  • Consultants are required to file a FCOI disclosure regarding all potential sponsors with the FCOI Committee as soon as they agree to assist with the review of a research protocol. This disclosure should include any relevant FCOI and must be updated on an annual basis and more frequently when significant changes have occurred.

UMKC IRB Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (PDF)