The University of Virginia supports research programs and is a public steward of funds supporting such programs. The University is committed to conducting the highest quality of research. This commitment in turn requires an unwavering commitment to research objectivity, a fundamental value in scientific research. Fulfilling this commitment requires that appropriate safeguards be in place to prevent researchers from using their positions for purposes that are, or appear to be, influenced by private gain for themselves or their family.
The mere fact that an investigator has a conflict of interest is not a violation of this policy, nor should it alone entail any reprobation of the investigator. The purpose of this policy is to inform investigators about their obligations concerning financial interests that could influence their research, and to ensure a reasonable expectation that the design, conduct and reporting of research will be unbiased by any conflicting financial interest of the investigator.