Identify Potential Conflict Of Interest Online In Your University With Conflict Of Interest Application

Introduction

Conflict of Interest is a condition that compromises the objectivity and makes researchers act wrongly. Since conflict of interest is unlikely to be eliminated by the professional and institutional level, organizations should identify and develop a strategy to deal with any conflict of interest. While conducting any research, researchers and faculty need to fill a disclosure regarding the conflict of interest that implies that the research results are not influenced by external factors or misconduct such as the trade of financial incentives for positive results. If the research is funded by a corporation, the author should issue a public statement that the research is free is bias. This is a way to adhering to the code of conduct needed for research while acknowledging the corporation’s contribution.

A conflict of interest arises when the research objective is influenced by the secondary interest like financial, personal and professional goals that harm the professional judgement and objectives. Conflict of interest related to financial benefits is easier to identify because it is relatively traceable. There is nothing wrong with researchers seeking secondary interest unless it influences and overrides the objective.

In the medical research field, the major conflict of interest may arise due to pharmaceutical or medical technology corporations. One of the common points of conflict is the corporation influencing the researcher to exaggerate the effects of a drug or treatment. To avoid these conflicts, researchers, funders and supervisors should jointly fulfil their own responsibilities in the following ways:

Researchers:

Researchers should ensure that research is conducted independently and with optimal secondary interest. Researchers should disclose their financial relationship with a grant provider to their own research organization and the public if exist.

Funders:

Funders should also identify their responsibility of respecting researchers anatomy and independence and should not interfere with the research process. Funders should report the funding details to the researcher’s organization and disclose the same to the public if required.

Research Supervisors:

Research supervisors are responsible for viewing any potential conflict of interest exist between researchers and funders on regular basis. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to request the researcher and funder to disclose any conflict of interest. Organizations should also have a proper guideline to prevent any misconduct that could happen due to an underlying conflict of interest.

As educational institutions like universities and colleges are the major contributors of research in any field, University should ensure proper process is instituted for any such conflict of interest. Educational institutions should adopt a conflict of interest solutions in there research funding process, so that university can identify any potential conflict of interest during the initial phase i.e. applying for grant or funding. The best solution for conflict of interest should be adopted by the university in order to identify any conflict of interest and improve the conflict of interest process.

Conflict Of Interest by Inknowledge

Conflict of Interest provides a platform for managing the conflict of interest in educational institutions like university and college. The conflict of interest application is useful for many departments of university and college like Office of Provost, Research and Chairs and Deans. It helps to review the faculty’s conflict of interest with each activity and changes in their disclosures and also automates disclosures which allow for recertification with each proposal submission and streamline the review of any conflicts and their active management plans.

Features of Conflict of Interest:

1. Set up disclosure form, set up follow-up questions to be asked based on responses, provide help-text and perspective for what is expected.
2. Auto-remind when disclosure is due or set up triggers based on activity in other applications or external systems.
3. You can actively ask your faculty to recertify their disclosure with each proposal they submit and don’t need to wait for the disclosure to expire. Track disclosure status alongside their proposal review to never let them default.
4. You can set up a review committee and conduct review of any potential conflict of interest online. Document all information within a single system and communicate with faculty directly from within the system.
5. Conflict of Interest application allows you to document the management plan within the system and set up reminders to review the plan based on time elapsed or other internal or external triggers.

Note: The author of this article is working with Inknowledge Inc.

For more information, please visit our official website Inknowledge Inc. You can also contact us at info@inknowledge.com.