Externally sponsored research is a vital part of the University of New Hampshire's (UNH) mission. As this activity grows in sophistication and complexity, it intersects increasingly with industrial explorations and entrepreneurial ventures creating for investigators the potential for conflicting interests. 

UNH has a financial conflict of interest in research (FCOIR) program to protect the integrity of UNH's externally-funded research enterprise and UNH employees who engage in externally-funded research, by identifying and managing financial conflicts of interest in research.

On August 24, 2012, revised regulations for projects funded, or proposed for funding, by the Public Health Service (PHS)* went into effect (find a list of other organizations that require compliance with the PHS financial conflict of interest in research regulations at the bottom of this page).  UNH elected to have one FCOIR policy for investigators who receive PHS funding and a different policy for investigators receiving funding from any other external organization (current UNH FCOIR policy).  The following pertain to this new policy and the attendant requirements (new resources will be posted as they become available):

• Overview of the revised requirements.
• Interim UNH policy on Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research for PHS-Funded Projects, effective August 24, 2012.  Once this policy has been approved by all the requisite groups at UNH, it will be added to the USNH online policy manual.
• Disclosure Statement for Financial Conflict of Interest in Research for Projects Funded by the PHS (Word document).
• Investigator procedures for financial conflict of Interest in research in PHS-funded projects.
• Investigator procedures flow chart for financial conflict of interest in research in PHS-funded projects.
• Required UNH Web-based training on financial conflict of interest in research for UNH investigators receiving PHS funds for research.
• NIH Web-based training on financial conflicts of interest.

The UNH Disclosure Review Committee (DRC) and staff from the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Research (OSVPR) are in the process of refining forms, developing resources, and revising operating procedures to accommodate the requirements of the new regulations.  As these are developed, they will be posted on this webpage. 

*PHS agencies:

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Indian Health Services (IHS)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin (SAMHSA)

Other organizations that require compliance with the PHS financial conflict of interest in research regulations include: 

Alliance for Lupus Research
American Cancer Society
American Heart Association
Arthritis Foundation
Susan G. Komen Foundation