U. of Minnesota Plans a Universitywide Policy on Conflicts of Interest

The University of Minnesota is close to putting into effect a broad-based conflict-of-interest policy to govern relationships between the university and businesses across the entire institution, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. In the wake of several high-profile cases that raised concerns about financial conflicts of interest in scientific research at Minnesota and elsewhere, the university’s Board of Regents approved a new policy in March that outlined tougher standards governing such conflicts. Specific rules dealing with potential conflicts at the Academic Health Center will be released this week and put in place later this month, the newspaper said, with the universitywide rules to follow later in the year.