Conflict of Interest Management
This “COI management” section of the ATS website provides and/or links to ATS policies, procedures, and resources for use in the management of conflicts of interest affecting ATS members, staff, and others participating in ATS activities. Please scroll down and read or click-the-link for items of particular interest.
(Please note: during 2010 the ATS intends to convert its COI disclosure and review process to an improved, centralized system. A transitional program is in use for the 2010 International Conference (only). ATS 2010 / New Orleans presenters and chairs have received by email a special web address, User ID, and Password to use for conference COI disclosure. International Conference presenters in need of that information must contact ATS staff at coioffice@thoracic.org or 212-315-8627. Additional information on COI disclosure requirements for the 2010 conference, and on the transitional conference disclosure process, is available [click here]. Dates of conversion for other ATS areas of operations will be announced well in advance. Meanwhile, the information provided below remains applicable for ATS activities other than the International Conference unless noted otherwise.)
(1) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
- How do I get a Disclosure Form?
- How do I submit my Disclosure Form?
- How do I retrieve my previous Disclosure to review and update?
- Who needs to submit an ATS Disclosure Form?
- Who will see my disclosure(s) to ATS?
- Why is the ATS Disclosure Form so extensive?
- What criteria are used to determine conflicts of interest and to manage them?
(2) CURRENT POLICIES OF THE ATS BOARD OF DIRECTORS RELEVANT TO CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
A. Policy on Management of Conflict of Interest in Official ATS Documents, Projects and Conferences, as approved by the American Thoracic Society Board of Directors on March 14, 2008.
B. Policy Governing Relationships Between the Tobacco Industry, ATS Members, and Non-Members Who Participate in ATS Activities, as approved by the ATS Board of Directors on March 10, 2007 and amended on December 14, 2007.
(3) OVERSIGHT:
The ATS Ethics and Conflict of Interest Committee is responsible for oversight of ATS policies and procedures in COI management, in consultation with the ATS Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Several other ATS committees and leaders, such as the committees responsible for Documents Development & Implementation, Education, International Conference, Program and Budget, and Publications Policy, and the Editors of the ATS Journals and the ATS Website, are also integral to this process, as are each of the ATS Assemblies.
(4) STAFF RESOURCES:
Staff implementation and management of the COI policies of the ATS Board of Directors is overseen by ATS Executive Director Stephen Crane, PhD, MPH, who has assigned Shane McDermott as Senior Director, Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policies and to act as “chief COI officer.” Shane may be reached at: smcdermott@thoracic.org or 212-315-8650.
For staff assistance with the following:
- Technical issues with the COI Manager site, ATS COI-SMART system, or other ATS COI data management: Contact Barbara Horner at bhorner@thoracic.org or 212-315-8693, or Elizabeth Guzman at eguzman@thoracic.org or 212-315-8627.
- Questions about ATS Journal-specific COI procedures or technical issues: Contact Karin Beehler at ATS at kbeehler@thoracic.org or 212-315-8626.
- Questions about ATS International Conference COI management: Contact the ATS COI Office at 212-315-8627.
- Questions about ATS Website-specific COI procedures or technical issues? Contact Sarah Cerullo at scerullo@thoracic.org or 212-315-8649.
- Questions about local/regional CME COI procedures or technical issues? Contact Rachel Makleff, PhD at rmakleff@thoracic.org, 212-315-8644.
(5) ARTICLES ON ATS COI MANAGEMENT:
The following articles have appeared in ATS publications regarding ATS conflict of interest management practices or activities. Click on the link to obtain.
- American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, September 15, 2009: An Official ATS Society Policy Statement – Managing Conflict of Interest in Professional Societies
- ATS News: April 2009, “COI Management: More Than An Academic Exercise”
- ATS News: March 2009, “’Universal’ Form Streamlines Submission Process for ATS Disclosures
(6) OUTSIDE RESOURCES:
The following web-based resources on ethics and conflict of interest management have been produced by other organizations and may be useful to ATS members, staff and others participating in ATS activities. The American Thoracic Society has not officially reviewed, approved or endorsed these resources and is not responsible for their content. Comments or suggestions about their inclusion here, or about other web-based resources on ethics and conflict of interest that may be useful to ATS members, staff and others participating in ATS activities, may be made to Shane McDermott at ATS at smcdermott@thoracic.org or 212-315-8650. Order of listing is alphabetical.
