Approved by FPP Board of Directors: March 16, 2006
Revised and Approved: December 15, 2009, January 18, 2011, January 22, 2013, January 21, 2014, April 18, 2017
Purpose
Washington University in St. Louis (“University”) and the Washington University School of Medicine (“WUSM”), its Physicians and Health Professionals recognize that the best interest of the patient is paramount and commit to altruism, scientific integrity and to minimize bias in medical decision making. WUSM and its Physicians and Health Professionals commit to avoiding conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest between their individual financial interests and the best interests of their patients. It is also recognized that Physicians and Health Professionals, as highly trained specialists, have a unique opportunity to improve and advance patient care and support the mission of the University through collaboration with industry. By adopting this Policy on Conflict of Interest in Clinical Care, WUSM, Physicians and Health Professionals demonstrate their commitment to establishing a disclosure and review process to promote integrity and objectivity in clinical care, such that collaborations with industry can optimally benefit patients.
Accordingly, WUSM’s policy is to ensure full disclosure of Financial Relationships between Physicians and Health Professionals, and industry.
WUSM considers a potential conflict of interest to exist when a Physician or Health Professional (or his/her Immediate Family Member) has a Financial Relationship with an Entity, and the Physician or Health Professional is in a position to affect a patient’s decision and/or consent to the use of that Entity’s products or services.
(Note: This policy does not apply to ancillary equipment whose use does not generally require a patient’s consent, even though the equipment may be utilized during a patient’s medical treatment, e.g. scissors, sutures, staples.)