Conflict of Interest

Promoting Objectivity in Research (42 CFR Part 50 Subpart F)

This U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) regulation is incorporated into all PHS proposals and awards. In addition, many private foundations have adopted the PHS regulation.

Public Health Service Agencies

• Agency for Healthcare Research / Quality (AHRQ)
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• Indian Health Service (IHS)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Office of Global Affairs
• Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
• Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Public Access Information for PHS-Funded Projects 

Within five days of a written request, USF will make information available to the public concerning any Significant Financial Interest (SFI) disclosed to the university that meets the following three criteria:

1. The SFI was disclosed and is still held by the Senior/key personnel as defined in the PHS regulation;
2. The university has determined that the SFI is related to the PHS-funded research; and
3. The university has determined that the SFI is a Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI).

Pursuant to federal regulations and USF policy, the information that the USF Conflict of Interest Program Manager will make available to any requestor shall include, at a minimum, the following:

1. The Investigator's name;
2. The Investigator's title and role with respect to the USF research project;
3. The name of the entity in which the SFI is held;
4. The nature of the SFI;
5. The approximate dollar value of the SFI (dollar ranges are permissible), or a statement that the interest is one whose value cannot readily be determined through reference to public prices or other reasonable measures of fair market value.

To submit a request, please send an e-mail to coi-research@usf.edu.

If e-mail is not available, please send a written letter of request to the following address:
COI Program Manager
USF Research & Innovation
Research Integrity & Compliance
ATTN: Public Accessibility Request
3702 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 155
Tampa, FL 33612

In its Grantee Standards, the NSF has three separate sets of conflict of interest standards related to the financial and program management of federal grants, each governing a different area:

• Financial management
• Property management
• Procurement management. 

The FDA Financial Disclosure regulation requires an applicant whose submission relies in part on clinical data to disclose certain financial arrangements between sponsor(s) of the covered studies and the clinical investigators and certain interests of the clinical investigators in the product under study or in the sponsor of the covered studies. A potential source of bias in clinical studies is a financial interest of the clinical investigator in the outcome of the study due to the:

• way payment is arranged (e.g., a royalty)
• investigator having a proprietary interest in the product (e.g., a patent)
• investigator having an equity interest in the sponsor of the covered study