The public declarations of interests
The public declarations of interests help guarantee the principle of independence of the Agency's expert appraisals. What are these declarations and who is concerned?
What is the PDI?
The public declaration of interests (PDI) is used to identify any personal links the individual may have with public or private bodies involved in the Agency's field of competence. This is because individuals are not permitted to be involved with any issue in which they might have an indirect or direct private or personal interest to uphold, which would then be regarded as having a conflict of interest. It is the responsibility of each person involved in the expert appraisal to declare all their "personal interests", from their application to join an expert group through to the end of their mandate at ANSES.
The scope of this declaration covers links of any kind, direct or through an intermediary (e.g. spouse), held currently or in the past five years.
These provisions form part of a regulatory framework:
Who is required to make a declaration?
- ANSES employees performing duties subject to declarations of interests, as well as members of its Board of Administrators, Scientific Board, Committee for Ethical Standards and Prevention of Conflicts of Interest, Research Programme Scientific Committee, Monitoring Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products and Marketing Authorisations Monitoring Committee;
- members of the expert groups and individuals invited to contribute their expertise without being members of these groups (expert rapporteurs on a given issue).
ANSES analyses personal links and interests with respect to the topics covered and takes the measures needed to ensure the principle of impartiality.
ANSES addresses conflicts of interest at two successive times during the expert appraisal:
- during selection of the members of an expert group. A candidate will not be selected if the declared interests are liable to automatically give rise to a conflict of interest concerning the topics addressed by the group;
- at each expert group meeting, by comparing the links reported in each participant’s PDI with the issues on the agenda. Specific measures, such as requiring the participant to stand down, can be taken if necessary. They cannot then take part in the work, deliberations or voting of the body to which they belong. Work conducted by an expert with a conflict of interest may be taken into account, under the terms decided by the Agency, for example through the use of hearings; however, this expert may not participate in any phase of the examination of the issue.
How are PDIs submitted, updated and accessed?
On taking up their duties, the individuals concerned must complete a declaration in accordance with a standard template via the DPI-Santé website set up by the Ministry of Health. Declarations may be updated at any time on the initiative of the person concerned, as often as necessary and at least once a year.
The declarations are made public (with the exception of details relating to family ties and financial holdings declared for close relatives), in accordance with Articles L.1451-1 and R.1451-2 of the Public Health Code.
You can consult the PDIs, via the DPI-Santé website