Written question asked by Gwyneth Dunwoody (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 May 1996. It was answered by Gerald Malone (Conservative) on Tuesday, 21 May 1996 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To comment on the measures he has taken to prevent conflicts of interest in biomedical research addressed by the government bodies funding such research.

Answer: Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the measures he has taken to prevent conflicts of interest in biomedical research addressed by the Government bodies funding such research.[29562] Mr. Malone: The Department is committed to maintaining high standards in the management of research commissioned by the Department through peer review and guidelines on good practice--the Department's code of practice for commissioning and managing research, introduced in 1992. Guidelines on the protocols that govern the operations of the national health service research and development programme, including conflicts of interest, have been issued to all those working within the programme. Under the guidelines members and the chairperson of NHS research and development commissioning groups are reminded of the need for impartiality in the commissioning of research and advised that they must declare a conflict of interest when one occurs and withdraw from the discussion. The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 29562; 278 c85W
Session: 1995-96
Subjects: Conflict of interests Medicine Research Medical Research Council Biomedical engineering