THE NATIONAL Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Md, is planning at least one meeting with scientists and administrators from industrial, academic, and independent research institutions before attempting to redraft conflict-of-interest rules (JAMA. 1988; 260:2011-2012). The revision itself is expected to take at least 6 months.
It was about 6 months ago that NIH, in association with the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, published a proposed set of guidelines for institutions and individuals regarding conflict of interest.
Among those proposed guidelines is a requirement that anyone doing federally funded research must make full disclosure of all financial interests and outside (of the research involved) professional activities. The proposed disclosure provision extends to spouses and others in the general category of dependents.
Another proposed requirement would prohibit anyone involved in a research project from owning shares or having other financial interests in any company that could be affected by the