Updated on: 23 February 2022

Roles in: Methodology Review Group, Breast Cancer Group, Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems Group

1. In the past 36 months have you accepted the following from a commercial organisation with a financial interest in the broad topic area of the Group/Unit?

a) Support for attending meetings, including sabbaticals and study tours (this covers travel, accommodation and/or hospitality)?
Yes - I am Director of the Northern Ireland Methodology Hub and Director of the Northern Ireland Clinical Trials Unit. I have attended conferences relating to the methodology of trials, systematic reviews and other evaluations of health and social care. This is relevant to the systematic reviews of research methodology published by the Cochrane Methodology Review Group.

b) Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speaker bureaus, manuscript writing, or educational events?
Yes - I am Director of the Northern Ireland Methodology Hub and Director of the Northern Ireland Clinical Trials Unit. I have received fees for speaking at conferences relating to the methodology of trials, systematic reviews and other evaluations of health and social care. This is relevant to the systematic reviews of research methodology published by the Cochrane Methodology Review Group.

c) Fees for organising education?
Yes - I am Director of the Northern Ireland Methodology Hub and Director of the Northern Ireland Clinical Unit. I have received payment for teaching about the methodology of trials, systematic reviews and other evaluations of health and social care. This is relevant to the systematic reviews of research methodology published by the Cochrane Methodology Review Group.

d) Grants and contracts?
Yes - I am Director of the Northern Ireland Methodology Hub and Director of the Northern Ireland Clinical Trials Unit. I have received funding for research into the methodology of trials, systematic reviews and other evaluations of health and social care. This is relevant to the systematic reviews of research methodology published by the Cochrane Methodology Review Group.

e) Funds for a member of staff?
Yes - I am the Principal Investigator in Queen's University Belfast (QUB) for the infrastructure funding for the CDPLPG, which pays the salaries for two members of staff based in QUB.

f) Fees for consulting?
No

g) Royalty or licences payments?
No

h) Payment for expert testimony?
No

i) Payment for a fellowship?
No

j) Payment for participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board, Advisory Board, or Guideline Panel?
No

k) Payment for a leadership or other fiduciary role in other board, society, committee, or advocacy group?
No

2. In the past 36 months have you, your spouse/partner or an immediate family member been employed by or do you or they own a commercial organization with a financial interest in the broad topic area of the Group/Unit?
No

3. Do you own stocks or shares in a commercial organization with a financial interest in the broad topic area of the Group/Unit?
No

4. Do you hold any patents (planned, issued or pending) for products relevant to the broad topic area of the Group/Unit?
No

5. Do you have any other competing interests (financial or non-financial)?
Yes - For more than 30 years, I have been (and remain) committed to improving the quality of trials, systematic reviews and other evaluations of health and social care. This is relevant to the systematic reviews of research methodology published by the Cochrane Methodology Review Group and my other work in Cochrane. I am Co-ordinating Editor (unfunded) for the James Lind Library, which provides information on the history of the control of bias relevant to clinical trials. I am a founder of Evidence Aid, and am currently the chair of its Board of Trustees and Research Director (unfunded). I am Editor in Chief for the Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. The Cochrane Methodology Review Group is unfunded.