Corporate funding of research has helped advance many branches of science, however evidence across several fields has shown that emergent conflicts of interests can have a significant impact on the evidence base. Conflicts of interest not only threaten the integrity of research, but can also pose risks to academic institutions and researchers.

One of the solutions proposed in the literature is to train researchers and other University staff so that they are better equipped to make informed decisions when considering partnerships with and funding from corporations and better able to put mitigating measures in place.

Researchers from the Department for Health Dr Alice Fabbri, Dr Iona Fitzpatrick, and Professor Anna B Gilmore worked with members of the Research Governance and Compliance Team to develop and pilot a training session on conflicts of interest and corporate influence on science.

The educational session aimed to increase participants’ understanding of relevant issues and familiarise them with practical tools they could use to conduct a risk/benefit analysis when considering engagement with corporations.

The training was held in September 2023 with twenty researchers from the University of Bath. Pre- and post-test surveys were administered to attendees to measure the impact of the intervention. The training content and delivery were well-received. Participants’ interest and knowledge of the topic significantly increased, along with their awareness of institutional policies and confidence in mitigating risks of corporate funding.

Our findings indicate that even a short educational intervention could increase researcher’s confidence in and ability to make informed decisions about whether to accept corporate funding and under what conditions.

We are delighted to share that the paper has been published in ‘Health Promotion International’. You can read the full article here.