Institutions that receive funding from U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) agencies (like the NIH) are required to maintain and enforce policies that promote objectivity in research, especially through conflict‑of‑interest (COI) management and investigator training.

Core Requirement in Plain Terms

For the common exam‑style question, “Institutions are required by the U.S. Public Health Service to do which of the following?”, the best general answer is:

Require investigators to disclose significant financial interests, review those disclosures, manage any resulting conflicts of interest, and provide regular COI training, so that the design, conduct, and reporting of PHS‑funded research are not biased.

What Institutions Must Do

Under the PHS “Objectivity in Research” regulations (42 CFR Part 50 Subpart F and 45 CFR Part 94), institutions that apply for or receive PHS research support must:

  • Maintain a written COI policy that meets PHS standards and applies to all investigators engaged in PHS‑funded research.
  • Collect disclosures of significant financial interests from investigators at specific times (e.g., before application, at least annually, and when new interests arise).
  • Review and determine financial conflicts of interest (FCOI) and decide whether any disclosed interests could directly and significantly affect the research.
  • Develop and implement management plans for identified FCOIs (e.g., monitoring, modifying the research plan, public disclosure, reducing or eliminating the interest).
  • Provide PHS‑compliant training to investigators on COI rules:
    • Before engaging in PHS‑funded research
    • At least every four years
    • And when institutional COI policies change or noncompliance occurs
  • Report FCOIs to the PHS funding agency (for example, NIH) and update those reports as required.

How This Often Appears in Test Questions

Common multiple‑choice “correct” options that match PHS requirements include things like:

  • “Require investigators to disclose significant financial interests related to their institutional responsibilities.”
  • “Review financial disclosures and manage identified conflicts of interest in PHS‑funded research.”
  • “Provide training on financial conflict‑of‑interest regulations to investigators at least every four years.”

If you share the full wording or answer choices for your specific question (“institutions are required by the U.S. Public Health Service to do which of the following?”), a more precise, one‑line exam answer can be matched to these regulatory duties. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.