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APCCMPD Leadership

Conflict of Interest Policy

Introduction

Members of the APCCMPD leadership and other individuals involved in developing APCCMPD policy are expected to have the mission of the APCCMPD as their primary interest when contributing to the APCCMPD’s work.

A conflict of interest may arise when an individual has the opportunity to influence APCCMPD’s activities in ways that could lead to, or appear to lead to, personal or institutional gain or advantage. Further, participation in some external activities may limit an individual’s capacity to carry out the duties associated with their role in leadership. This Conflict of Interest Policy is intended to provide guidelines to identify and eliminate conflicts that arise from outside competing interests. This Policy is intended to maintain the integrity of the APCCMPD’s decision-making processes and, thereby, maintain the confidence of the profession and the public in the APCCMPD's standards and judgments.

The potential for conflict exists in guidelines below, but since the APCCMPD's decision-making process of consensus development, the direct responsibility of each individual leader for specific decisions is mitigated. However, while the potential severity of a conflict of interest may not be substantial, the potential damage created by an unaddressed perceived conflict of interest could be significant.

Guidelines

Category 1 Leaders:

  • President
  • President-Elect
  • Vice President
  • Secretary/Treasure
  • Immediate Past President
  • Fellow-in-Training on the BOD
  • Past Presidents serving as consultants to the BOD
  • Chair and Vice-Chair of In-service Writing Committee (ISWC)
  • Executive Director

Guidelines for Category 1 Leaders:

  • No promotional activities including, but are not limited to, serving as a spokesperson or on a speaker’s bureau for a pharmaceutical company or medical device company, using a commercial entity’s audiovisual materials, or public endorsements of products.
  • No investments in tobacco companies except for mutual funds.
  • Disclosure of any activities, investments, or employment of a spouse, domestic partner or minors living in the same household that may be affiliated with pharmaceutical companies or any other commercial entities (e.g. device manufacturers) that make or sell products related to management of individuals with disorders addressed in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Fellowships.
  • Disclosure of activities as a member of any committee of any other national or international medical, professional society.
  • No employment, consulting or advisory board activity for pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies, except as authorized by the APCCMPD’s BOD.

Category 2 Leaders:

  • Members of the In-service Writing Committee (ISWC)
  • Members of the Research Fund Award Committee 

Guidelines for Category 2 Leaders:

  • See In-service Exam Writing Committee COI Policy (approved June 26, 2015)
  • See Research Fund Award Committee COI Policy 

Category 3 Leaders:

  • All committee members (excluding members of ISWC)
  • All members who participate in APCCMPD-sponsored activities

Guidelines for Category 3 Leaders:

  • Must disclose COIs and recuse themselves from discussions, when appropriate.
  • Any person who works on an APCCMPD-sponsored activity must confirm or submit a current COI disclosure form before, and sometimes, during, the activity.

These guidelines are not meant to restrict normal activities as an educator or researcher, including lecturing, writing or editing for journals or texts or participation in national organizations.

Oversight and Administration

APCCMPD Leadership will be requested to complete a COI disclosure at the time of their appointment and annually thereafter. Further, members are expected to disclose any new conflicts at the time of their occurrence.

The disclosure period concerns the past 12 months and any known conflicts expected to occur during the upcoming 12 months.

APCCMPD Committees and the BOD should start every meeting (both remotely and in-person) by asking whether anyone has any new COI to disclose, including a COI related to a matter on the meeting agenda. Leaders will be expected to abstain from discussion where conflicts exist.

Information that is disclosed will be kept confidential except to the:

  • President of the Board of Directors
  • The Chair and Vice-Chair of relevant committees
  • The Board of Directors (when applicable)
  • Members of Committees (when applicable)
  • The Executive Director

In cases where the policy is unclear, mitigating circumstances are believed to exist, or a conflict arises where an explicit policy does not exist, the APCCMPD BOD will review and adjudicate as necessary.

If uncertain about these guidelines or would like to inquire about an exception, individuals are urged to seek the advice of the APCCMPD Executive Director, the BOD or the Chairs of the appropriate committee. Questions about activities not clearly covered by these guidelines will be taken to the Board of Directors, who may choose to convene a full COI review. Exceptions may be granted on a individual basis.

Decisions of the BOD concerning permitted and prohibited activities are to be considered final, and the BOD may impose sanctions for members found to be in violation of the Academic Conflict of Interest Policy or a decision of the BOD, up to and including removal from APCCMPD service.

 

Effective July 30, 2015