Policies, Procedures & Guidelines

This policy seeks to prevent conflicts of interest between commercial Vendors doing business with the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) and UMMS’ Faculty Members, and Students. Such potential conflicts can be viewed as influencing patient care and/or purchasing/procurement. This policy, working in tandem with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Ethics Laws (M.G.L. c. 268A), strives to ensure that relationships between the UMMS Faculty Members or Students and commercial Vendor representatives enhance the University’s mission as a center of excellence for teaching and research. 

This policy recognizes that some UMMS Faculty Members provide patient care and/or conduct research in various hospitals, outpatient settings, and research centers that may have their own policies governing Vendor relations and conflicts of interest. Such policies may vary from this policy. When two or more policies govern the relationships of UMMS faculty members with commercial vendors, the faculty member must comply with all restrictions. Each faculty member must identify and adhere to the applicable policies. 

Read full policy here: Faculty & Student Vendor Relations Conflict of Interest Policy

A student FAQ is available at: Vendor Relations FAQs 

Internal and external lecturers must disclose relevant Vendor relationships, if any, when presenting a lecture in an approved UMMS course. Suggested procedures may be found at: Vendor Relations Disclosure

If GSBS faculty have further questions regarding this policy please contact Dean Mary Ellen Lane in the GSBS (MaryEllen.Lane@umassmed.edu)