RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL
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POLICY ON CONSULTING AGREEMENTS
The purpose of this Statement is (1) to protect the academic freedom traditional within the King
Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC), (2) to assist the KFSH&RC’s
investigators and the KFSH&RC itself in meeting their respective contractual responsibilities for
research being carried on in the KFSH&RC; and (3) to guide Investigators in evaluating invitations to
provide compensated consulting services outside the scope of their employment by the KFSH&RC,
or to accept additional compensation for services within or incidental to the scope of such
employment. This statement should be read in light of the KFSH&RC Code of Conduct and Policies
on Conflicts of Interest.
Conflicts of Interest
1
Such an invitation frequently offers an Investigator the opportunity to enhance his scientific
knowledge and perspectives. Thus, such invitations are welcome.
2
However, occasionally:
a) The services contemplated by the proposed Consulting Agreement may materially
relate to or draw on work (i) which the Investigator has done, is doing, or expects to do
within the scope of his employment by the KFSH&RC and (ii) for which he has made, is
making, or expects to make substantial use of facilities, materials, or other resources
furnished by or through the KFSH&RC;
b) Acceptance of the invitation may impose restrictions on the freedom of the
Investigator to communicate with his colleagues about his consulting work, to publish
reports on such work, to establish rights to own and use the fruits of the work, or to patent
discoveries and inventions resulting from it; and
c) Such restrictions may impinge as well on the rights and duties of both the KFSH&RC
and other Investigators at the KFSH&RC, including obligations to sponsors of research
already under way or contracted to be conducted at the KFSH&RC.
3
Thus, before accepting any proposed consulting a