The Food and Drug Administration's Financial Disclosure System for Special Government Employees: Progress and Problems

A review was conducted of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) financial disclosure system for special Government employees (SGEs), which is designed to protect against conflicts of interest. Files of 906 SGEs were reviewed to determine whether all confidential statements of employment and financial interests were filed and reviewed in a timely manner and properly filed and adequately reviewed. The evaluation of the financial disclosure system also concerned FDA's: (1) policy for making conflict-of-interest determinations; (2) procedures to prevent SGEs serving on committees from participating in restricted activities; and (3) system to publicly disclose potentially controversial cases.