ASCO Unveils New Research Guidelines for Conflicts of Interest

The American Society of Clinical Oncology on April 29 announced new guidelines aimed at eliminating conflicts of interest between clinical cancer researchers and pharmaceutical companies or industry sponsors, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Tansey, San Francisco Chronicle, 4/30). The new guidelines, which were developed by a special task force and will be published in the June 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, will require trial researchers to disclose any financial interests in pharmaceutical companies or industry sponsors, restrict activities for lead researchers and detail restrictions for all clinical researchers. The guidelines will apply to presenters at the ASCO's annual meetings, researchers seeking publication in the society's medical journal and ASCO board, committee or task force members (ASCO release, 4/29). Virginia Sharpe, director of the Integrity in Science program at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, called the guidelines "a quantum leap for clinical specialty societies," adding, "I don't know of any other professional society that's asked that of its members" (San Francisco Chronicle, 4/30). Dr. Lowell Schnipper, chair of the ASCO task force, said the revised guidelines were needed because of an "increasing amount" of private funding and a lack of uniform policies among institutions. "The rationale behind the new policy is the national abuses that came to light in recent years," Schnipper said, adding, "While we remain confident in the integrity of clinical investigators, the goal of this policy is to increase the transparency of clinical cancer research overall."

New Review Boards Recommended
The ASCO task force also recommended forming independent regional boards to provide oversight and review of clinical trials in place of ethical review boards at individual medical institutions in an effort to "streamline the review process and improve patient safety," the Houston Chronicle reports (Ackerman, Houston Chronicle, 4/29). However, Dr. Adil Shamoo, founder of Citizens for Responsible Care and Research and a former Clinton administration ethics advisor, said that while the guidelines have "good intentions," eliminating local oversight would "endanger community representation" in review board decisions. Schnipper said that the proposal would first be applied to government-sponsored trials to develop ways to eliminate "improper" industry influence, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (San Francisco Chronicle, 4/30). The new guidelines are available online.