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University of California San Francisco School of Medicine | |
| City: San Francisco | State: CA | |
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Commentary: With several excellent policies and a strong foundation, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine has a substantial overall conflict of interest policy. Model policies include the gifts, speaking relationships, travel to off-site CME, formulary decisions and scholarships funds. If this institution added language concerning consulting relationships and sanctions, their policy would meaningfully address all the domains.
This institution's evaluation was last updated: 6/16/2009 |
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| Gifts & Meals |  |
“faculty, staff, students, and trainees may not accept gifts from industry." |
| Consulting relationships |  |
No applicable policy provided |
| Industry-funded speaking relationships | |
Faculty may not participate in speaker's bureaus and are solely responsible for the content of their lectures. |
| Disclosure |  |
Disclosure requirements appear only in a policy on conflicts of interest that pertain to receiving/disbursing research funds. Despite the policy’s name, it seems to require internal disclosure by all faculty who meet certain criteria for having a potential conflict of interest. |
| Pharmaceutical samples | |
UC system-wide vendor relations policy: Samples may never go directly to physicians. They may only be donated to the department for trial in the minimum amount necessary, or donated for use at free clinics or by indigent patients only. |
| Purchasing & Formularies | |
Members of the P&T committee are required to recuse themselves from any decisions in which they have a financial interest |
| Industry Sales Representatives | |
Industry representatives are permitted in non-patient care areas only, by appointment. UC system-wide vendor relations policy: By appointment only, and only in non-patient care areas. UCSF has also instituted a commendable firewall: “Health Care Vendor sales and marketing representatives may no longer leave any written materials with employees” |
| On-campus Education | |
All industry support of CME activities on-site must be unrestricted and go through departments or divisions (not individual faculty). The institution is solely responsible for determination of content. UC system-wide vendor relations policy: ACCME standards apply to both accredited and non-accredited educational events organized by UC system universities. |
| Attendance at Industry-Sponsored Lectures & Meetings Off-Campus | |
The institution prohibits acceptance of payment for attending CME events or travel funds that are not part of legitimate reimbursement for services rendered. UC system-wide vendor relations policy: No employee may accept travel or payment for attending off-site events. Travel and payment may only be accepted if providing a real service to the entity subsidizing said travel/payment. |
| Industry Support for Scholarships & Funds for Trainees | |
All scholarships and trainee fund recipients will be determined by the institution, with no quid pro quo. UC system-wide vendor relations policy: Only the department may select the recipients of scholarships and grants funded by industry. |
| Medical school curriculum | |
The policy addresses training in potential conflicts of interest and industry interactions. UC system-wide vendor relations policy: Mandatory training for all employees including students on proper interaction with vendors and the nature of marketing influence. |
| Do the policies specify an oversight mechanism? |  |
Chancellor's Conflict of Interest Advisory Committee is responsible for overseeing conflicts of interest as assessed by the disclosure policy. |
| Are there explicit sanctions for noncompliance? |  |
The School of Medicine has introduced guidelines only on conflicts of interest, and listed no sanctions for non-compliance. |
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 | Model policy |
 | Good progress toward model policy |
 | No policy, or policy unlikely to have a substantial effect on behavior |
 | Did not report |
 | Policy not relevant to this institution (e.g., does not make purchasing decisions) |
