Conflict of Interest

To protect the objectivity of American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) credentialing, all ASCP BOC volunteers must maintain impartiality, respect confidentiality of information, and preventing disabling conflicts of interest (COI). The ASCP BOC follows standardized procedures to ensure that all parties associated with credentialing processes do not have a disabling conflict of interest to assure impartiality and confidentiality. Volunteers may not participate in activities. in which there is a disabling conflict of interest. An individual’s responsibilities in the ASCP BOC will impact the determination of disabling or non-disabling conflict. 

The vetting of disabling or non-disabling COIs as submitted on COI forms is under the purview of the ASCP BOC. 

BOC CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND IMPARTIALITY POLICY  

  • Conflict of Interest: A conflict of interest (COI) occurs whenever an individual has a direct or indirect interest, financial or otherwise, in the outcome of any transaction or matter involving the ASCP BOC. A conflict of interest also occurs whenever an individual has a relationship with other parties to the transaction or matter such that the relationship might reasonably be expected to affect the judgment of the individual in the particular transaction or matter in a manner averse to the ASCP BOC. 

  • Impartiality: Professional judgment is compromised by bias (actual or perceived), conflict of interest, or the undue influence of others. 

  • Confidentiality: All information pertaining to an individual’s application, individual scores, item banks, contents of examinations, and any other items pertaining to the processing of applications, preparation of examinations, or scoring of examinations are confidential. All communication (oral or written) on items under discussion but not approved by the Board of Governors is considered confidential. Information discussed or provided in the Board of Governors’ meeting is considered confidential until publicly released. 

Impartiality Statement

ASCP BOC management, employees, and volunteers understand the importance of impartiality and the consideration of any potential conflicts of interest to ensure objectivity in all credentialing activities.  

The ASCP BOC and related bodies shall act impartially in relation to its applicants and credential holders. Decisions will be made in accordance with established policies and procedures, with fairness and accuracy. Laboratory professional credentialing is based on objective evidence through a fair, valid, and reliable assessment process which is not influenced by other interests or parties. ASCP BOC management is committed to identifying and assessing risks in all related ASCP BOC activities which may result in a conflict of interest or pose a threat to impartiality. 

Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest, and Impartiality Policy Acceptance Form

All members of the Board of Governos (BOG), Examination Committees, Work Groups, consultants, guests, observers, staff, and other volunteers are required to sign a Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Impartiality (CCOII) Policy Acceptance Form prior to attending any committee/work group meeting. 

  • All international volunteers who receive personal applicant information from the ASCP BOC are required to sign a confidentiality statement at the commencement of their association with the ASCP BOC. 
  • To avoid impartiality (actual or perceived), if a conflict of interest arises in connection with the activities of any deliberative units within the ASCP BOC, the conflict should be disclosed to the other members of the body, and the individual should abstain from voting on the issue at hand. 
  • Individuals from professional associations, accrediting or certifying agencies, consulting firms, or commercial entities relating to certification of medical laboratory personnel should be evaluated for potential conflict of interest by the Executive Director of the ASCP BOC prior to making arrangements to attend an ASCP BOC meeting.

No volunteer or employee of the ASCP BOC may participate in any activity, either as a volunteer or for pay, in which there may be a conflict of interest with any activity or responsibility of the ASCP BOC. 

  • It is essential that the ASCP BOC maintain a clear separation of its activities from the accreditation of education and training programs. Therefore, volunteers and employees of the BOC should carefully avoid any participation in the policy making aspects of accreditation of education and training programs.
  • All employees of the ASCP BOC are required to sign а Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest, and Impartiality Policy Acceptance Form annually. 
  • There should be no participation in examination or credentialing activities related to laboratory sciences outside of the BOC, including, but not limited to: 
  • Participation in other credentialing committees and/or processes 
  • Certification, credentialing, or review preparation courses, practice tests, study guides
  • Authorship, including editing
  • Mock examination reviews
  • A volunteer or employee of the ASCP BOC may participate in such activities only as an official representative of the ASCP BOC. 

 

  • Confidential information as defined in ASCP BOC policies may be disclosed only with the permission of the Chair of the Board of Governors or upon approval of legal counsel. 
  • Potential conflict of interest or bias (implicit or conscious) may only become apparent as the work of the ASCP BOC develops or personal circumstances change. It is the responsibility of the employee or volunteer to notify the Executive Director of these changes when a perceived conflict of interest may exist.

Sitting for an ASCP BOC Examination

Individuals who are members of an Examination Committee or Qualification Work Group are not eligible to sit for that committee’s examination or qualification until three years after completion of committee service. 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: GUIDANCE FOR ASCP BOC VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers serve the best interests of the ASCP BOC when they engage in the following activities and contribute in meaningful ways. (Please note - some of these items are specific to examination committees only):

  • Preparing for and participating in meetings, conference calls, and related activities. 
  • Maintaining the confidentiality of non-public information shared in meetings.
  • Identifying and developing trends in the field while assuring relevancy by staying informed and engaged.
  • Bringing goodwill and a sense of collegiality to discussions. 
  • Serving as an ASCP Board of Certification “ambassador” on a professional level with other organizations, societies, and on social media or other interactions.
  • Developing, maintaining, and evaluating test items.
  • Setting the standards for examinations.
  • Performing and assessing practice analyses.

Overarching Insights to avoiding conflicts.  The duty of loyalty encompasses duty to avoid COI and to provide allegiance to the ASCP BOC mission. 

  • Conflicts exist when loyalties are divided between ASCP BOC interests and other interests of the volunteer. 
  • Both the fact and appearance of a conflict should be identified and avoided or mitigated.
  • A conflict may exist when you deliberate on an issue while, at the same time, have professional, business or volunteer responsibilities for other organizations that could predispose or bias or otherwise bring impartiality to your engagement in and the resolution of an issue or assuring an effective decision.
  • Sometimes disclosing the conflict and refraining from participating in discussions concerning an issue may be sufficient to neutralize the conflict, whether perceived or actual.
  • For continuing, visible, serious, or pervasive conflicts, withdrawal from the volunteer position or other adjustments may be warranted and benefit all.

 

Help me understand - Is it a potential COI?  

Possible COIs are numerous and varied, can be direct or indirect, and are not always financially based.  Always be mindful of the potential for conflicts and disclose their potential as soon as you discover them or as they arise.  As a reminder, not all conflicts are disabling; sometimes disclosing a potential conflict and recusing oneself from related deliberations or activities is sufficient. If you have questions, please consult with the ASCP BOC Executive Director.

While not an exhaustive list, examples of COI include:

  • When you have been asked to serve on an examination committee for a non-BOC association serving in the field of laboratory medicine and pathology while already serving in that or a similar capacity for ASCP BOC.
  • When you have been asked to serve as a subject matter expert for a review preparation course for a non-BOC association or a for profit company serving the field of laboratory medicine and pathology while already serving as a volunteer for ASCP BOC. 
  • The ASCP BOC recommends that subject matter experts who contribute to a review preparation course or other examination readiness resources should have a one-year washout period from point of serving on a ASCP BOC Examination Committee or Qualification Work Group prior to contributing to any examination readiness materials. 
  • ASCP BOC engages in a business transaction or takes a position that will benefit an entity with which you or your family member has an employment, ownership, research/grant, or consulting arrangement. 
  • Example: You have an interest in a laboratory consulting firm which seeks to provide services to the ASCP BOC.   
  • Example: Your spouse is a lawyer who seeks to provide intellectual property (IP) services for ASCP BOC. 
  • When you also serve on the Board of, or as a volunteer for, an organization that may be in indirect or even direct competition with ASCP BOC for funding, prestige, staff, board members, or volunteers. 
  • Example: You have been asked to serve on the board of another medical society serving the pathology and laboratory medicine fields.   
  • Example: You are aware of a request for proposal (RFP) which would be of interest for your employer (or your spouse’s employer) and ASCP BOC. 
  • Any time you have a direct or indirect interest, financial or otherwise, in the outcome of any transaction or matter involving ASCP BOC. 

 

What safeguards does the ASCP BOC take to assess and mitigate conflicts of interest?

  • On an annual basis, ASCP BOC will ask you to complete and sign a Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure Statement.
  • ASCP BOC will ask you to provide information concerning other relationships which may affect your duty of loyalty or confidentiality. 
  • Conflicts can be tricky to identify and predict – be thoughtful regarding potential conflicts and thoroughly disclose any potential conflicts.
  • The existence of a potential conflict is not a reflection on your integrity – it ensures bias-free governance and effective operations, along with elevating the integrity of credentialing processes.
  • Disclose potential conflicts as they arise, even if this occurs during the course of a meeting.  A new and updated Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement form should be provided to the ASCP BOC at any point during the year even after the initial annual COI form has been provided.
  • Disclosure may be all that is necessary for minor conflicts.
  • As a potential conflict becomes more serious, recusal during deliberations or certain activities and, in certain instances, resignation from a volunteer position may be warranted.
  • ASCP BOC’s Executive Director, with advice from the ASCP Chief Legal Officer, is responsible for reviewing and managing conflicts of interest.