Certification for IRB Professionals (CIP) Practice Exam

According to current NIH rules, to whom must investigators disclose details of financial conflicts of interest?

1. Designated institutional officials

2. The general public

3. All research participants

4. Peer-reviewed journals

The correct answer is: Designated institutional officials

Under current NIH rules, investigators are required to disclose details of financial conflicts of interest primarily to designated institutional officials. This is important because institutional officials are responsible for ensuring that the research conducted at their institution adheres to ethical standards and federal regulations. By disclosing these conflicts to these officials, the institution can assess the potential impact of the conflicts on the research and take appropriate steps to manage them. This disclosure process is set in place to maintain the integrity of the research and to protect the interests of participants, funding agencies, and the institution itself. Designated institutional officials can implement measures such as disclosure to participants, modification of the research plan, or oversight measures to address conflicts, ensuring that the study's results are credible and ethically sound. Disclosures to the general public, research participants, and peer-reviewed journals do not suffice as the primary mechanism for managing conflicts, although there may be guidelines or circumstances under which some degree of disclosure to these groups is warranted. However, the institutional officials are the key point for initial conflict assessment and management under NIH rules.