The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has updated its conflict of interest and commitment policies to better align with federal requirements and clarify expectations across research and non-research activities.
The Conflict of Commitment and Individual Conflict of Interest Policy has been retired and replaced by three stand-alone policies:
- Policy on Individual Financial Conflict of Interest in Research
Addresses disclosure, review, and management of financial conflicts of interest in research, aligns with U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) regulations, and supports the COI Annual Disclosure process. - Conflicts of Interest for University Employees Policy
Establishes baseline expectations for identifying and managing conflicts of interest across all University activities, including administrative, operational, and procurement functions. - Conflict of Commitment Policy
Defines expectations for balancing University duties with external professional activities and outlines how conflicts related to time and effort are reviewed and managed.
This new framework separates research-related financial conflicts, general employee conflicts, and commitment-related issues into distinct policies, making expectations clearer and easier to follow.
To support the research policy, the University has also released the Procedure for Individual Financial Conflict of Interest in Research, which outlines how to complete disclosures, meet training requirements, and comply with COI review and management processes. For details about the COI Annual Disclosure process and transition resources, visit the COI transition webpage.
Investigators and research personnel should review the updated policies and procedure and ensure timely completion of required disclosures.
For general policy questions, contact Jeanne Lovmo, Director of Policy, Governance and Process, Research Compliance Services. For questions about a specific policy, use the contact listed within that policy.