The Manitoba Liberals say the WRHA's Brock Wright is in a conflict of interest because of his 'moonlighting' on the board of a medical equipment company. (Hsc.mb.ca)

Allegations of a conflict of interest are being made against a high-level official with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

The provincial Liberal Party says Dr. Brock Wright, the WRHA's director of clinical care and chief medical officer, should not be "moonlighting" as a member of the board of directors of Tear Lab Corp., a San Diego-based company that develops and markets technologies for diagnosing dry eye disease.

Wright should not be making decisions for a health authority while also representing a health products company that sells its technologies to eye doctors, the Liberals charged.

Wright was appointed to the Tear Lab board of directors in late August. In a release announcing the appointment, Tear Lab said Wright's expertise in state-run health care and regulatory matters "will be particularly invaluable to the success of the commercialization of Tear Lab in jurisdictions outside of the United States."

The WRHA denies there is any conflict, because Wright's role with the authority does not involve any equipment purchasing.

"There is no conflict of interest here," WRHA spokeswoman Heidi Graham said.

"Dr. Wright disclosed to us when he was asked — when he was invited to sit on the board of directors. He disclosed that immediately to the WRHA. We have never done business with this company," Graham said.