title: COI policies: tax dollars should not be used to fund U.S. institutions not making the grade.
abstract: Over two billion dollars was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in research funding from 2010 to March 2012 to institutions receiving a grade of "C," "D," or "F" on their conflict of interest policies, as determined by the American Medical Student Association's scorecard on conflict of interest policies. More institutional oversight is needed with regard to assuring conflict of interest policies at U.S. research institutions are adequate. As stewards of public funds, HHS should require a minimum standard which institutional conflict of interest policies should meet, beyond current regulatory requirements, before granting funding.
authors.affiliation: Program in Ethics and Policy in Healthcare, Center for Biomedical Ethics and Humanities, University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA. pjm7s@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tereskerz
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mills
mesh_terms: D000047:Academies and Institutes / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D016265:Conflict of Interest / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000592:standards*; D033161:Government Regulation; D011050:Policy Making; D013660:Taxes; D014481:United States; D014483:United States Dept. of Health and Human Services