The UM Conflict of Interest (COI) policy is designed to promote objectivity in research, scholarly and educational activities by establishing standards that provide a reasonable expectation that the design, conduct, and reporting of such activities will be free from bias resulting from individual financial and obligatory conflicts of interest. A copy of the UM COI policy can be found on the UM Office of Research Compliance, Conflicts of Interest page. More information and a link to the PHS regulation can be found on the National Institutes of Health Office of Extramural Research website.
The UM COI policy applies to UM Investigators: all faculty, staff, trainees and students, (as well as external subcontractors/ subawardees) that COULD perform research and sponsored scholarly and/or educational activities. It stipulates that Investigators or “project/activity/contract team members” must complete the disclosure process and be trained on the COI policy before engaging in PHS-funded research, every 4 years thereafter, and immediately under designated circumstances, e.g., non-compliance or a policy change.
All faculty and all UM community members possibly be involved in sponsored activities are required to complete their disclosures prior to submission of a proposal/contract on which they will be a team member, or at least once a year using the Disclosure Profile System (DPS). The DPS combines in one process the disclosure of outside professional activities (OPAs) (formerly completed only by faculty on the Faculty Disclosure Form (FDF)) with Investigator disclosure of financial or obligatory interests (FOIs) associated with their Institutional Responsibilities (IR).
The process begins by asking the user four questions about their rank and responsibilities at UM. The user’s answers determine what disclosures he or she needs to complete. Once the four answers are certified, the user is guided through the remaining disclosure process by the DPS system. At each stage, the user certifies that the information they entered is correct, and they acknowledge that they will update the system within 30 days should their disclosures change.
When external funding is imminent, the PD/PI submits information into the DPS and designates team members for that award or contract. Once the team is designated, each team member’s disclosures will be reviewed for potential relationships to the sponsored work. It is the responsibility of the PD/PI to enter this information into the DPS in order to ensure that their project/award/contract is reviewed for potential COI in a timely manner. No new accounts will be opened until each team member’s disclosures have been reviewed.
Questions on how to complete the DPS process?
Click here for screen shots and basic instructions.
What best describes your status at UM?
Click on a description below to determine what you must disclose to UM.
Not involved in Sponsored Activities
Involved in Sponsored Activities
