The board of directors of the American Society of Gene Therapy (ASGT; Milwaukee, WI) has voted to approve a policy stating that investigators and team members involved in gene therapy clinical trials should not have any financial stake in the outcome of those trials. According to ASGT President Savio Woo, “This policy is a significant step forward in addressing the safety and interests of the many patients who volunteer in such trials.” The policy notes that such ethical standards should apply to all medical research, and states that “clinical investigators must be able to design and carry out clinical research studies in an objective and unbiased manner, free from conflicts caused by significant financial involvement with the commercial sponsors of the study.” However, because ASGT is a nonprofit educational and scientific society and not a regulatory body, the guidelines are strictly voluntary.