Which statement best describes the purpose of disclosing conflicts of interest to the REB under TCPS 2?

• A. Disclosures are optional.
• B. Researchers must disclose to the REB and manage conflicts to prevent bias in design or reporting.
• C. Conflicts must be disclosed to participants only.
• D. Conflicts should be kept private to protect relationships.

Answer: (B)

Disclosing and managing conflicts of interest is about keeping the research review process objective and safeguarding participants. Under TCPS 2, researchers are required to disclose any conflicts that could reasonably be expected to bias the study to the Research Ethics Board and to implement management measures to limit their impact on the study’s design, conduct, or reporting. This ensures that bias is identified and mitigated before the study proceeds, maintaining integrity and trust in the research. The best description is that researchers must disclose to the REB and manage conflicts to prevent bias in design or reporting. Disclosures are not optional; conflicts involve financial or personal interests. While explaining conflicts to participants can occur in some contexts, the core obligation is disclosure to the REB and applying safeguards, not keeping conflicts private.