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"No more than one day per week" seems simple enough: So why is conflict of commitment so confusing?

Gregory Samsa1,2

  • 1Duke Office of Scientific Integrity - Conflict of Interest, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.

Accountability in Research
|March 25, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Conflict of interest (COI) and conflict of commitment (COC) both risk professional judgment being influenced by secondary interests. This study proposes a framework to evaluate COC, focusing on how multiple relationships may impact faculty

Area of Science:

  • Academic integrity
  • Institutional policy
  • Research ethics

Background:

  • Conflict of interest (COI) and conflict of commitment (COC) both involve risks to professional judgment from secondary interests.
  • The Institute of Medicine recommends distinct evaluative frameworks for COI and COC.
  • Existing frameworks often do not adequately address the nuances of COC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss principles underlying conflict of commitment (COC).
  • To propose a clarifying evaluative framework for COC that extends across institutions.
  • To differentiate COC from COI based on the scope and impact of secondary interests.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing principles and definitions of COI and COC.
  • Development of a proposed framework based on institutional concerns regarding faculty relationships.
  • Distinction between the impact of single relationships (COI) and the cumulative impact of multiple relationships (COC).

Main Results:

  • A proposed principle for institutional concern: relationships (individually or collectively) are concerning if time commitment or monetary compensation potentially induces dual loyalty or compromises primary responsibilities.
  • COI is defined as the impact of single relationships on single actions.
  • COC is defined by the net impact of multiple relationships on the overall ability to discharge primary institutional responsibilities.

Conclusions:

  • COC requires a separate evaluative framework from COI due to its focus on the cumulative impact of relationships.
  • Institutions should monitor faculty relationships where time or financial commitments may create dual loyalties or impair primary duties.
  • The proposed framework aims to provide clarity and consistency in assessing COC across academic institutions.

Keywords:
Conflict of interestconflict of commitmentevaluative framework

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