UB Policy Library

The University at Buffalo is committed to promoting objectivity in research and to maintaining high ethical standards to ensure that the design, conduct, and reporting of research is not biased by the financial interests of individuals acting on behalf of UB. The responsibilities and obligations of investigators to the university must be clearly separated from their personal financial interests and obligations.

Investigators may not have any significant interest or engage in any outside activity which results in unmanaged or unmitigated conflicts of interest. Therefore, each investigator must disclose his or her significant financial interests and any non-university significant obligations including those of his or her immediate family members in order to ensure that the design, conduct, and reporting of research or other activity is free of bias.   

The University at Buffalo (UB, university) strives to ensure that its research, teaching, public service, and other activities are not compromised or perceived as biased by business and financial considerations. The breadth of university activities and the variety of its relationships may lead to an actual or perceived institutional conflict of interest that must be resolved appropriately.

Potential institutional conflicts of interest (ICOI) must be identified promptly and managed or eliminated before any contract, sponsored project, dedicated gift, or transaction is executed; any contractual relationship is initiated; or any action is taken that might be influenced or appear to be influenced by the conflict of interest.

An ICOI may occur in human subjects research when a significant business and financial interest of UB affects or appears to affect the design, conduct, reporting, review, or oversight of human subjects research. ICOIs are of significant concern when they create the potential for inappropriate influence over a human subjects research project, particularly to the integrity of the research and the safety and care of subjects enrolled in the research. All potential ICOIs in human subjects research require disclosure, evaluation, and either management or elimination.