The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #72550

Mark Parascandola, PhD, MPH, Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Blvd., Suite 3109, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-594-1576, paramark@mail.nih.gov

Several academic institutions and funding organizations have recently instituted policies restricting investigators from accepting tobacco industry funding for research. Concern over commercial sponsorship of research has grown in recent years as academic medical schools have become increasingly dependent on financial relationships with the pharmaceutical industry. However, advocates of special restrictions for tobacco industry funding argue that generic conflict of interest policies do not offer adequate protection against unwanted influences. We analyzed the content of 17 existing policies regarding tobacco industry funding (including the Harvard School of Public Health, the Arizona College of Public Health, the American Legacy Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and others) to determine what forms of behavior are targeted, what mechanisms are used, and how the goals and mechanisms of these policies differ from existing university policies on conflicts of interest and relationships with industry. A range of different mechanisms and requirements were used, ranging from simple disclosure of funding sources to prohibition. However, only two policies actually included a list of funding sources affiliated with the tobacco industry. The primary justification offered for a tobacco-specific funding policy was the incompatibility of the tobacco industry with public health. Unlike conventional conflict of interest policies, these policies are not primarily aimed at protecting the integrity of research findings, but at preventing tobacco companies from using research sponsorship as a tool to improve their public image. Public health scientists, particularly those studying tobacco and alcohol, should be aware of mechanisms to control the potential adverse effects of research sponsorship.

Learning Objectives:

• Appreciate the growing concern about commercial sponsorship of research and its relevance for public health scientists
• Identify a variety of policy mechanisms for restricting tobacco industry sponsorship of research
• Understand the different goals of tobacco specific funding restrictions versus generic conflict of interest policies

Keywords: Tobacco, Research Ethics

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: N/A
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.