COVID-19 and Conflict of Interest Reviews
The Conflict of Interest Review Committee (CIRC) is holding virtual meetings so that required reviews can be conducted in accordance with State regulations, and Federal, UC and UCLA policies. Most staff of the office of Research Policy and Compliance (RPC) are continuing to work remotely. Emails and calls will be returned as promptly as possible.
Disclosures:
- The electronic Disclosure Gateway (eDGE) system is web based and can be accessed via the internet.
- Forms 740 and supplements can be electronically signed and scanned.
- State of California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPCC) regulations were modified in November 2021 to permit agencies like the University of California to accept Statement of Economic Interests for Principal Investigators, Form 700-U, with electronic signatures. Principal Investigators who complete Form 700-U in conjunction with proposals for research support from a non-governmental entity (i.e. for-profit and not-for profit sponsors) through contract, grants, or Material Transfer Agreements (MTA), and in connection with gifts for a specific research project or for a specific researcher, may now submit the Form 700-U using DocuSign. Those forms should be submitted to the UCLA office that handles the proposal/award transaction, MTA, and/or gift. The Form 700-U that is completed via DocuSign must be submitted from a UCLA email address.
A Conflict of Interest (COI) refers to any situation in which an Investigator’s (researcher) financial interest(s) have the potential to bias a research project or cause harm to human subjects participating in a research project.
Conflict of Interest Review Committee (CIRC)
What is the Conflict of Interest Review Committee (CIRC)?
The Conflict of Interest Review Committee (CIRC) is a faculty peer review panel that is advisory to the Vice Chancellor for Research. The CIRC serves as the substantive independent review committee required under the State of California Political Reform Act, and as the “designated official(s)” required under federal policy/regulation on financial conflicts of interest related to research.
The CIRC is responsible for reviewing personal financial interests disclosed by UCLA researchers, making determinations about whether those outside financial interests constitute conflicts of interest, and making recommendations about how those conflicts of interest can be eliminated, reduced, or managed so that research support can be accepted and work can commence.
Research Policies and Guidance Documents
Conflict of Interest in Research: Policies & Procedures
Resources
- PHS COI FAQs
- Financial Interest Disclosure Requirements
- State and Federal Disclosure Matrices
- Federal Policies
For questions, contact COI@research.ucla.edu.
