Tufts University (the “University”) places extremely high value on Research (as defined below) integrity and academic freedom.  Objectivity in the conduct of Research is critical to these institutional values.  Relationships with industry and other outside entities are important to the support and advancement of Research but can present special challenges with respect to protecting and complying with these institutional values.

In the context of conducting Research, the primary interest of a researcher should be the objective conduct of the Research.  Coupled with this, the researcher, the University, and the public share an interest in the complete, objective and timely communication of Research results.  While the University expects that all of its faculty and other Research staff should carry out their professional responsibilities with the highest standards of personal integrity, it is necessary to provide measures to reduce, eliminate or manage situations in which a secondary interest could be reasonably expected to influence the design, conduct or reporting of Research.  For this reason, the University has adopted this Research Conflicts of Interest Policy (the “Policy”).

The existence of a conflict of interest does not necessarily mean that a conflicted individual has acted, or is expected to act, inappropriately.  It is the existence of the competing interests that gives rise to the conflict of interest and the need to reduce, eliminate or manage it.

COI Policies