Conflict of Interest Policies

A Conflict of Interest is a real, potential or perceived conflict between a person’s duties and responsibilities related to their role as a reviewer, and their personal, institutional, or other interests. Our conflict-of-interest policy aligns with that of the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR). We assess conflicts of interest to avoid jeopardizing the integrity of the research, researchers, and to protect those involved or impacted by the review and/or the proposed research. You are responsible for disclosing any situation where you believe there is, might be, or appears to be a conflict of interest.

There may be a real, perceived or potential conflict of interest when the peer reviewer or observer:

• Would receive professional or personal benefit resulting from the funding opportunity or application being reviewed;
• Has a professional or personal relationship with an applicant. A conflict of interest may also arise if the reviewer has substantial institutional obligations that may lead to a biased or compromised judgement, or where perceptions of loyalty may influence decisions and/or judgement;
• Has a direct or indirect financial interest in a funding opportunity or application being reviewed; or
• Is currently under investigation for an alleged breach of Funding Organization policies.

A conflict of interest may be deemed to exist or perceived as such when peer reviewers or observers:

• Are applicants within the competition and have ability to bias or influence the process to the benefit of their application
• Are a relative or close friend, or have a personal relationship with an applicant;
• Are in a position to gain or lose financially/materially from the funding of an application;
• Have had long-standing scientific or personal differences with an applicant;
• Are currently affiliated with an applicant’s institution, organization or company—including research hospitals and research institutes such that it may lead to a biased or compromised judgement, or where perceptions of loyalty may influence decisions and/or judgement;
• Are closely professionally affiliated with an applicant, as a result of having in the last three (3) years:
  • Frequent and regular interactions with an applicant in the course of their duties at their department, institution, organization or company;
  • Been a supervisor or a trainee of an applicant;
  • Collaborated closely or shared funding with an applicant, or have plans to do so in the immediate future; or
  • Been employed by the institution, when an institution is the applicant; and/or
• Feel, for any reason, unable to provide an impartial review of the application.

Disclosure and Compliance Measures

• Any peer reviewer or observer who becomes aware of a conflict of interest must promptly disclose the conflict to the Lung Health Foundation staff. LHF will determine if it constitutes a conflict of interest and what measures – such as recusal – are required. No peer reviewer or observer may participate in the review process of an application with which they are in conflict of interest. The conflict of interest depends on the role and level of involvement of a peer reviewer or observer and the size of the research team. Such disclosures and compliance measures shall be documented.