AABIP COI-oversight committee: Rationale, Composition and SOPs
Conflict of Interest - Conflict of Commitment Policy and Reporting requirements
Rationale for a COI policy:
- The AABIP is a member organization whose members are empowered to make a difference in interventional pulmonary medicine. Participation in professional or commercial activities adds to the strength and vitality of our community. It is essential, however, to have policies in place to guard against inappropriate outside interests or participation.
- It is also essential to protect the integrity, credibility and objectivity of our work, whether for research and scholarship or in the decisions made by AABIP leadership.
- Identification and management of COIs are integral to maintaining members’ trust in the organization, preserving integrity and protecting patient’s safety and welfare
- The COI policy is designed to ensure transparency and protecting the integrity of individuals participating on the AABIP Executive Board, Board of Directors, Committees, Taskforces, Guidelines panels, or Individuals participating in other ways in the development and implementation of AABIP products or services.
- A COI policy is not intended to limit the scope of practice or activity
- A COI is manageable- not used for political reasons to deny individuals specific functions or positions
COIs: A classification relevant for the AABIP
COI- refers to situations in which financial or non-financial considerations may compromise an individual’s objectivity in duties and responsibilities associated with their function as an AABIP leader. Specifically, a COI is defined as any financial or other relationship with an entity that might have an effect on the participant’s judgment or conduct.
What to disclose?
Individuals are responsible for disclosing to the AABIP, all of their Significant Financial and Non-Financial Interests (note: the AABIP defines "significant" financial interest as any value greater than $0) and those of their Family Members (Spouse, Partner, or Dependent Children) that could reasonably appear to affect their performance of the AABIP Responsibilities.
Significant Financial Interests include: consulting; participation in Industry speakers’ bureau; ownership or equity interest in publicly or non-publicly traded companies; ownership of intellectual property that has been licensed or commercialized; this includes any reimbursed or sponsored travel or renumeration received from an entity within 12 months or predicted to be received within 12 months from the disclosure
Non-financial Interests include: intellectual conflicts (which occur when clinicians or researchers may be too deeply embedded in their own area of expertise to objectively look at a matter “with an open mind”); the desire or the need to produce data in support of an ongoing hypothesis; conflicts of commitment (competing interests in different organizations, institutions or companies); conflicts of conscience (documented personal convictions that may jeopardize their objectivity in a particular matter); these are particularly relevant for those AABIP leaders involved in AABIP guideline development, research and education activities.
Who does the COI policy apply to?
This AABIP Conflict of Interest Disclosure Policy applies to all AABIP members or staff who:
1. Serve on AABIP Board of Directors, Executive Board, Committees, Administration, or Taskforces*
2. Submit to or make presentations in an AABIP-sponsored activity or publication.
How often do I have to declare my COIs?
The disclosure and review of financial and non- financial COIs is performed annually and as needed depending on the type of activity a particular member is involved in (eg. a new presentation, a new guideline panel, a new BOD position, etc)
Who reviews the COI Disclosure form?
The COI Committee is responsible for this process. This committee is a designated group in the AABIP that reviews relationships and interests that may create COIs and develops and approves plans to manage those relationships and interests to minimize the risk of bias
- Nominations: the President-Elect is the chair of the committee and is responsible for appointing the voting members of the COI committee
- Committee members (7): voting-five members selected based on established integrity while assuring diversity of thought (institution; seniority; gender); non -voting: one BOD member (the chair) that serve as liaison to the BOD/Executive Committee to assist with review and management plan implementation; and one AABIP staff to assist with the workflow and meetings
- Operating Procedures:
- Anonymous review of the Disclosure forms by each committee member prior to a live meeting
- Meetings take place as needed to discuss specific Disclosure forms and determine the appropriate management plan
- Succession planning: members serve for 2 years with possibility of a 2-year renewal; the chairs will rotate off once their term as President Elect ends.
What happens after my COIs are reviewed?
Once COI is disclosed, the AABIP will be able to evaluate its possible effect or influence on the AABIP products and services. If warranted, management plans (defined below) will be implemented to resolve the COI and diminish bias. On occasion, upon recommendation from the COI committee, individuals may be asked by the AABIP Executive Board to refrain from participation in certain AABIP products or services. Management plans are created to reduce a leader’s opportunity to bias their actions not to prohibit or micromanage their actions or participation in a specific project. These are documents that explain the procedures or extra steps to be taken to minimize the risk of bias
* AABIP leaders are defined by three leadership levels: I, II, III. Each level is clearly defined, moving from most to least restrictive. This policy has been adopted by several organizations (attached)
Key References:
- https://ura.uchicago.edu/page/conflict-interest-conflict-commitment-coi-coc; last accessed on 12/12/2020
- https://www.wabip.com/forms/regent; last accessed on 12/12/2020
- Conflicts of interests don’t always involve money. Available at: https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2012/02/conflicts-interest-involve-money.html; last accessed on 12/12/2020
- http://www.chestnet.org/-/media/chesnetorg/About-ACCP/Documents/Leadership-COI-Policy-Grid_AUGUST-2020.ashx?la=en&hash=1C5909003F12620EB9406EF5B5381F5229E2352B; last accessed on 12/20/2020