Comments
on Task Force for Conflict of
Interest Policy report
Email
your comments to the Faculty Senate
(all
comments will be posted unless specifically stated otherwise).
4/12/04
We are a university core facility responsible for the production, detection
and characterization of compounds (stemming from chemical libraries)
or antibodies (stemming from hybridoma antibodies or recombinant antibody
libraries) for use in research, diagnostic or therapeutic applications
by Vanderbilt Investigators.
The recommendations put forth by the University Task Force will streamline
the process by which clinically significant reagents developed by investigators
and our facility will reach those most in need of these agents.
Sincerely,
Ray Mernaugh, Ph.D.
Res. Assoc. Professor of Biochemistry
Director, Molecular Recognition and Screening Facility
4/8/04
I agree that the conflict of interest should be simplified as outlined
Ginger E Holt, MD
4/8/04
I am in favor of simplifying the conflict of interest policy.
It is increasingly more difficult to avoid interactions with industry.
This can be done sucessfully but needs to be promoted in an ethical
manner devoid of greed or self-gain.
Robert M. Pousman, DO
Assistant Director of Critical Care Services
Assistant Professor
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department of Anesthesiology
4/8/04
I STRONGLY AGREE with the recommendations of the task force. The university's
policies are unnecessarily confrontational and in my experience, they
discourage
rather than encourage the collegial development of scientific collaborations
with industries. Simplification of the policy and reporting requirements
is essential to foster the type of academic environment consistent with
the university's stated objectives.
Alan Bradshaw, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Surgery and Physics
4/8/04
I am in favor of the report posted by the task force regarding conflicts
of interest and commitment.
Professor Larry J. LeBlanc
Owen Graduate School of Management
4/8/04
I fully support any effort to simply the Conflict of Interest Policy
and its documentation.
Dr. Jack Roberts
4/8/04
I have read with interest the statement on proposed amendments to the
Conflict of Interest policy and documentation, and find myself in agreement
with virtually everything said in the report. I would add that in my
own limited experience, it has always been easy to get verbal approval
where there was the possibility of a conflict of interest, by discussin
the matter with the relevant administrator. However, a simplification
of the reporting forms and the mechanics of submission would be most
welcome. In particular, I would like to see a commitment to doing away
with the paper forms, or at least offering a fully electronic alternative
over the Web. If carried out under the "Working at Vanderbilt"
password scheme, it should also be secure. It would also be interesting
and useful to know what produces the COI policies; presumably in most
cases it has to do with research regulations promulgated by the Federal
government. But "conflict of commitment" issues presumably
arise because of local administrative issues, and I for one would like
to know more about what motivates the administration's concerns in this
arena. I definitely agree with the report on one thing: that there should
be a presumption of good will on the part of both faculty and administrators,
so that the reporting process could be as simple as possible!
Richard Haglund
Department of Physics and Astronomy
