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 US National Institutes of Health Releases Ethics Rules
The rules, some of which were softened after reviewing complaints, require certain top-level employees and their family members to get rid of investments that might be seen as affecting their judgment. They also prohibit employees from consulting for pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical device manufacturing companies, health care providers or insurers, and research institutions that receive NIH grants. "We have a balanced set of conflict of interest rules that protect the integrity of NIH and its ability to provide the American public with an unbiased and trusted source of scientific and health information, while preserving our ability to recruit and retain world class scientists and staff," NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni said in a statement. The rules were first announced in February after reports of one NIH researcher who was paid $500,000 over 5 years by a private company, and other similar cases. But many scientists chafed under some of the restrictions, which require many employees to list their stock holdings and even sell off shares to prevent potential conflicts of interest. They said secretaries, support staff and others who did not make financial decisions should not be bound by the rules. They also complained that top-notch researchers and administrators would be scared off by the rules. The NIH is considered the world's leading research institution, with 18,000 employees and a $28 billion annual budget. Much of its money goes to fund research at universities, or to begin developing products that are later licensed to commercial companies. But some of it staff had relationships with potential beneficiaries that critics considered too cozy. "Senior management and people who play an important role in research decisions must meet a higher standard of disclosure and divestiture than people who are not decision-makers," the NIH said in a statement. But it said employees need to be able to take part in professional associations and "genuine teaching opportunities." "The basic prohibition on outside consulting by NIH staff with substantially affected organizations, such as pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical device manufacturing companies, health care providers or insurers, and supported research institutions remains unchanged," the NIH said in a statement. "Divestiture of all holdings in substantially affected organizations in excess of $15,000 per company will be required for all senior NIH employees and their spouses and minor children," it added. "All other employees may be required to divest if, after review, a potential conflict resulting from their holdings or those of their spouses and minor children would impede their ability to do their government job."
Certain employees will also need to file reports disclosing their
investments, and prior approval will be needed for any cash awards, the
NIH said. |
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