Customer/Consumer Confidence in the Livestock Industry – Ethics: University perspective

Abstract Text: Animal science researchers, particularly those working with industry-sponsored research are under increasing scrutiny with respect to bias and conflict of interest.  Following the lead of the federal government, virtually all research universities have well-defined procedures to delineate and record potential bias and conflict of interest issues for faculty members who conduct research.  Faculty committees to review and recommend remediation of potential conflicts are a common feature of university procedures.  Primary concerns include conflicts of interest associated with financial, professional, and personal relationships.  Financial limits vary somewhat among institutions, but an aggregate interest of >$5,000 is typically the threshold for disclosure.  Once the threshold is met, faculty members are typically required to list and describe potential conflicts and subsequently inform all members of their research team of business and financial interests, consultancies, and any other potential issues that might influence their objectivity in conducting research.  Issues that fall below reporting guidelines can nonetheless constitute potential conflicts.  For example, more subtle conflicts of interest and bias might occur as a result of associations that a faculty member might have with companies providing discretionary funding and products to support research activities, regular consultancies that fall below reporting limits, honoraria to faculty members on advisory boards or to those who give technical presentations to clients groups, and all-expense paid trips to company-sponsored activities of various types.  Similar conflicts can occur through connections to commodity organizations or even professional societies that have public stands on issues related to the faculty member’s research.  To ensure public trust in animal science research, animal scientists must adhere fully to applicable university regulations.  In addition, they should conduct rigorous self-evaluations of their professional relationships, be transparent with respect to their activities via written disclosures to colleagues and research team members, and provide clear statements of potential conflicts in publications.  Peer evaluations of relationships to ascertain real or perceived bias and conflict of interest issues could be useful, particularly in cases where the issues do not meet university or federal guidelines for reporting.

Keywords: Bias, Conflict of Interest, Industry-Sponsored Research