Declarations of interest

In accordance with the policy of the Cochrane Collaboration, neither the Australasian Cochrane Centre nor its Branches in New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand receive funding from commercial sources, defined as any for-profit manufacturer or provider of health care, or any other for-profit source with a real or potential vested interest in the findings of a specific review. All directors of Centres and Branches are required to complete personal declaration of interest statements and to disclose all relationships with commercial organisations. The term 'related organisation' in the questions below means any organisation related to health care or medical research.

The following directors have completed these declarations of interest: Sally Green and Steve McDonald (ACC), Cindy Farquhar and Mark Jeffery (New Zealand Branch), Edwin Chan (Singapore Branch) and Pisake Lumbiganon (Thai Cochrane Network). Answers given correspond to the last five years.


1. Received research funding: any grant, contract or gift, commissioned research, or fellowship from a related organisation to conduct research?

Sally Green: Yes, from the Australian Department of Health and Ageing; Australian National Health and Medical Research Council; Wellcome Trust; Andrology Australia; National Heart Foundation of Australia.

Cindy Farquhar: Yes, from the New Zealand Ministry of Health; New Zealand Health Research Council; Mercia Barnes Trust of RANZCOG.

Edwin Chan: Yes, from the Singapore Ministry of Health; Obstetrics & Gynecological Society of Singapore; National Medical Research Council; Novartis and Lundbeck ICR Asia-Pacific (for attendance at investigators’ meeting).

Pisake Lumbiganon: Yes, from the Wellcome Trust; World Health Organization; Thailand Research Fund.


2. Had paid consultancies: any paid work, consulting fees (in cash or kind) for a related organisation?

Sally Green: Yes, from the Australian Government

Cindy Farquhar: Yes, from the World Health Organization

Edwin Chan: Yes, from the National Healthcare Group, Singapore (Research Ethics Committee membership)


3. Received honoraria: one-time payments (in cash or kind) from a related organisation?

Cindy Farquhar: Yes, from the BMJ (invited reviews) and Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (editorial work).

Edwin Chan: Yes, from the National University of Singapore, National University Hospital, National Healthcare Group and Singapore Healthcare Services for talks and workshops on EBM, CPGs, biostatistics & epidemiology. Travel and accommodation received from the Asia-Pacific EBM Network, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and the International Urological Society for talks and workshops.


4. Served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or held a position of management with a related organisation?

Steve McDonald: Yes, I am member of the Committee of Management of the Joanna Briggs Institute.

Cindy Farquhar: Yes, I am the Chair of the New Zealand Guidelines Group.

Mark Jeffery: Yes, I was a Director of the New Zealand Guidelines Group (1997-2005) and am Director of the Executive of the Canterbury West Coast Division of the NZ Cancer Society (2001- ).

Edwin Chan: Yes, with the Singapore Ministry of Health (6 month part-time secondment). 


5. Possessed share-holdings, stock, stock options, equity with a related organisation (excludes mutual funds or similar arrangements where the individual has no control over the selection of the shares)?

Cindy Farquhar: Yes, I am a shareholder in IVF Auckland (private fertility clinic) and in Auckland City Surgical Services (private day-stay surgical company).


6. Received personal gifts from a related organisation?

No declarations.


7. Had an outstanding loan with a related organisation?

No declarations.


8. Received royalty payments from a related organisation? 

No declarations.


9. Do you have any other competing interests that could pose a conflict of interest that would reasonably appear to be related to the primary interest?

No declarations.