The Association of American Universities (AAU) established the Task Force on Research Accountability in response to concerns that individual conflict of interest processes were not always achieving the highest standards, and that institutional conflict of interest policies had rarely been developed.
The group concluded that the risks to the objectivity of research were large enough to require prompt action. It urged AAU members to assess the adequacy of their systems, if they have not already done so.
Download the Report on Individual and Institutional Financial Conflict of Interest.