Faculty of Medicine Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment

In January of 2009, Dean Jeffrey S. Flier convened a committee of more than 30 faculty and students to examine the existing Harvard Medical School (HMS) Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment (part of the HMS Policies on Integrity in Science) and to make recommendations for changes to the policy. This committee completed its work in the spring of 2010. On July 21, 2010, Dean Flier announced his acceptance of the committee's recommendations. The committee's recommendations have been implemented over the course of 2011. An Interim Policy Statement incorporates the recommendations into policy form. If you are a faculty member seeking guidance on the policy, contact the Office for Professional Standards and Integrity.

Pursuant to HMS Policy, all members of the Faculty of Medicine are required to periodically report outside activities as well as update those reports if changes arise. The committee recommended that HMS move to an annual process for faculty reporting of outside activities and that such reports cover the previous calendar year.   All outside activities for Annual Year 2012 for Faculty based at affiliate institutions are to be reported in accordance with the process established by your home institution.  Please refer to your local institution's requirements and instructions in completing this outside activities report.  HMS Quad, HSDM and VA Faculty can access the Calendar Year 2012 Outside Activity Report by going to outsideactivities.hms.harvard.edu/OAR, Faculty will be prompted to log in using Harvard University I.D. and password.  Faculty may return to the link at anytime to update reports or submit additional reports.

Conflict Disclosure in Student Medical Education

In 2008, the HMS Curriculum Committee formally adopted policies that require disclosure of conflicts of interest in undergraduate medical education and prohibit pharmaceutical marketing representatives on campus. The written policies appear in the 08-09 HMS Student Handbook, within the Conflict of Interest (PDF) Section (4.14).