Pam,

There is an inherent conflict of interest between those promoting research and those governing it with respect to compliance issues.  The conflict is between the profit to and advancement of the institution versus the rights of individuals and general ethics on the other hand.

Since all employees of an institution are generally considered to be loyal to and individually responsible for the advancement of their institution, all employees are conflicted to one degree or another.  The real question is the extent of the conflict and the natural remedies and precautions the institution has in place to ameliorate or moot the conflicts.  In cases where Chancellors, Presidents, Research VPs, and the like
have lost their jobs over these issues, the lack of remedies and precautions has been systemic.

You will hear that one university or another has been cited for failure to maintain the separation, but it is rarely this issue alone that results in a citation, suspension, or closure.  Usually, the situation has run aground in some other way and the conflict blunted the ability of the institution to respond appropriately.

Ultimately, the OHSP (for Human Subjects problems) will refer to the Institutional Assurance signed by the senior management of the institution as the governing documentation.  These Assurances are quite simple and direct and they refer to the whole body of regulation and common sense on the issues.

Jim

Pam FILLMORE wrote:

> Greetings.  I have heard it said at several workshops at NCURA that an individual involved with the Research/Sponsored Program Office cannot act as Chair of the institution's IRB because this poses a conflict of interest. I cannot, however, find this issue addressed specifically in the documents at the DHHS, OHRP site. Does anyone have any insight into this issue, or can you direct me to a document that spells this out?
>
> Pam Fillmore
> Research and Grants Center
> Emporia State University
> phone 316-341-5351
> fax 316-341-5909
> xxxxxx@emporia.edu
>
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--
James R. Brett, Ph.D., Director,
Office of University Research
California State University, Long Beach
562-985-5314  562-985-8665 fax
http://www.ur.csulb.edu

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