Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Office for Regulatory Affairs

Office Mission

The Northwestern University – Feinberg School of Medicine (NU-FSM) Office for Regulatory Affairs supports faculty and staff in their commitment to follow university policies and standards of conduct to ensure they act ethically and comply with all applicable laws.  Amongst its activities, the Office:

• Identifies regulatory compliance obligations 
• Educates faculty and staff with respect to the overall objectives of the NU-FSM compliance program and specific substantive areas of compliance
• Establishes procedures to prevent, investigate, and correct non-compliance
• Works to resolve compliance issues
• Manages an Annual Disclosure of Outside Activities Survey process on behalf of NU-FSM and its affiliate entities: Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation (NMFF) and Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (NMHC)
• Oversees and coordinates efforts of the NU-FSM Conflict of Interest Committee
• Monitors and ensures the timeliness of NU-FSM faculty effort reporting

Our Research, Education, and Clinical Care Missions

NU-FSM is committed to maintaining high standards in conducting research and providing medical education.  Through their provision of patient care, NMHC and NMFF support NU-FSM’s research and educational missions.  To achieve these missions, particularly in the field of biomedical research, a strong and healthy relationship with industry is necessary.  However, to maintain public trust, it is important that these relationships not be or not appear to be influenced by factors other than the best interests of the patient and the pursuit of knowledge.  In this context, NU-FSM and its affiliates have established policies to provide for transparency through the disclosure of external professional relationships, as well as policies that establish rules governing the conduct of such relationships. 

The disclosure policies require NU-FSM faculty (full-time, part-time, and research) and certain NMFF and NMHC personnel to disclose annually and transactionally all outside interests that may pose a conflict.  The survey process and associated policies are designed to ensure that all disclosures are easily reported and that potential conflicts of interest are clearly visible and promptly reviewed by NU-FSM and the affiliated entities.  If potential conflicts are research-related, they are forwarded to the NU-FSM Conflict of Interest Committee for review and consideration to determine if an actual conflict of interest exists and if so, to determine whether the conflict can be managed or reduced, or must be eliminated.  The Committee works in partnership with the NU Office for Research (Office for Sponsored Research and the Office for the Protection of Research Subjects).

Other policies regulate the relationships that physicians and staff have with industry.  The policies, by way of example, include the following:

• Prohibition of acceptance of gifts from industry
• Limits on the circumstances of when and where physicians can accept meals
• Requirement that NMFF physicians document their consulting relationships in a written contract that pays no more than fair market value for the services provided

The NU-FSM Office for Regulatory Affairs is here to help FSM faculty and staff navigate the ever-changing compliance landscape.  We encourage NU-FSM faculty and staff, and the public, to contact us if they have any questions.

Conflict of Interest Policy Links Include:

Northwestern University – Faculty Conflict of Commitment and Conflict of Interest Policy
(Effective September 1, 2001) 

NU-FSM Disclosure Policy and Conflict of Interest & Professional Integrity Policy ( PDF)
(Effective February 27, 2009)

Northwestern University – Conflict of Interest Policy – for Staff ( PDF)
(Effective June 1, 2008)

NMFF Conflict of Interest Policy ( PDF)
(Effective April 1, 2009)

NMFF Business Integrity Policy  ( PDF)
(Effective July 24, 2006)

NMHC Conflict of Interest Policy ( PDF)
(Effective April 12, 2007)

NMHC Gifts and Business Courtesies Policy  ( PDF)
(Effective June 23, 2007)

Our Contact Information

Other Key Contacts