Conflict of interest presentation phD 2024
8.2 Conflicts of Interest 8.2.1 What Is a Conflict of Interest? The classical situation in which a researcher’s decision-making may be compro mised because of certain financial interests is called a conflict of interest (COI). Conflicts of interest are more common in the bio-medical and pharmaceuti cal sciences, where large financial gains are at stake, and the development of new medication is a costly affair. In the social sciences, financial conflicts of interest do exist but the temptations differ from those of the bio-medical and pharmaceutical science. Let’s start with an example from the pharmaceutical sciences. Resnik (1998) cites a classic case of a scientist who researched the effects of a certain medication on the alleviation of common cold symptoms. The scientist also owned stock in a company that produced the same medication he was researching (a tablet of zinc lozenges). When their findings showed a positive result, the company’s stock soared, from which the researcher benefited. This raised a serious question: Was the researcher’s scientific judgement being influenced by the expectation of a finan cial profit? In the social sciences, direct financial gains are rarer. Rather, the problem lies in indirect gains, having to do with the formation of dependency on the research itself. Soudijn (2012) quotes the case of a Dutch psychologist, who set up a project offering help to clients suffering from phobias. The clients received free treatment (in the form of experimental therapy, given by his students) on the condition that they agreed to participate in the research project. Thus, the clients became reliant on the research as a means of free therapy. These dependency relationships obfus cate the research project to the point that by today’s standards, the data would no longer be considered valid, and although the research participants did not profit from the research financially, financial gains (free therapy for the client) posed a COI in this case. Whether these influences actually impair a researcher’s judgement is not of importance in our understanding of a COI. It is the potential to cloud or impair judgement that defines the problem. In any conflict of interest, objectivity as one of sciences’ key values is at stake: • How do I know your conclusions are not biased? • How can I trust your judgement? In the coming sections, we discuss cases from within the social sciences where differing financial interests were at stake to differing degrees (Box 8.2). Note that not every situation with financial interests at stake automatically leads to a conflict of interest. Furthermore, it can be difficult to establish whether a researcher acts in bad faith or not. 181 8.2 Conflicts of Interest Box 8.2: Funding Bias Often regarded as a specific form of COI, the term funding bias indicates the tendency found in scientific studies to support the interests of the study’s f inancial sponsor. Funding bias is
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Conflict of interest presentation phD 2024
- 2. CONFLICT OF INTEREST Conflict of interest in research exists when the individual has interest in the outcome of the research that may lead to a personal advantage and that might therefore in actuality or appearance compromise the integrity of research. A conflict of interest exists when two or more contradictory interest relate to an activity by an individual or an institution. The conflict lies in the situation and not in any behavior or lack of behavior of the individual. That means that a COI is intrinsically not a bad thing. Increased involvement of academician in research has raised potential of COI. COI arises from opportunities when a faculty or other members might have to benefit financially from the outcome of research. Granting agencies wants assurance from the institution that member involved in research will not utilize the funds to promote financial gain for themselves or for families.
- 4. Reviewer when receives a research paper where the author is his friend, develops a personal interest, which results into a COI Representing a family member in court Benefit related to outcome of work Author has any religious belief on political opinion related to the topic of research Personal fees received by authors as honorarium or royalties consultation fee etc. Advertising a client to invest in a company owned by your spouse EXAMPLES
- 5. CHARACTERISTICS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN RESEARCH Financial Interests: Research funded by organizations that might gain from favorable results, like pharmaceutical companies, could influence the findings in a way that favors their interests. Personal Relationships: Researchers have personal relationships with individuals or organizations that could influence their objectivity in conducting or reporting research. Professional Ambitions: Researchers might focus on achieving career goals or gaining recognition, which can make them prioritize specific outcomes in their research. Bias in reporting: Researchers sometimes only share results that support what they already thought would happen, while they might not talk about data that does not fit those ideas. Influence in Design: people or groups with a personal stake may shape how a study is set up, how its done, or how the results are explained to benefit themselves. Lack of Transparency: Failure to disclose potential conflict of interest can undermine the credibility and transparency of research findings.
- 6. WHY DOES CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN RESEARCH MATTER? Bias in Research Design: COIs can lead researchers to design studies in ways that are more likely to produce favorable outcomes for their personal or financial interests. Data Manipulation: Researchers with COIs might consciously or unconsciously manipulate data to align with desired outcomes, compromising the validity of the research. Selective Reporting: COIs can result in selective reporting of results, where only positive findings are published, while negative or inconclusive data are suppressed. Public Trust: The public relies on research to be unbiased and accurate. COIs can erode this trust, leading to skepticism about scientific findings. Peer Trust: Trust among colleagues is crucial for teamwork and advancing knowledge. Conflicts of interest can harm this trust, making researchers hesitant to share data or collaborate. Institutional Reputation: Institutions that fail to manage COIs may suffer damage to their reputation, affecting funding opportunities and partnerships.
- 7. WHY DO AUTHORS MUST DISCLOSE THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST? Maintaining trust Protecting objectivity Preserving academic integrity Regulatory requirement Ethical responibility
- 8. WHY DO AUTHORS MUST DISCLOSE THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST? Maintaining trust: Readers trust authors to provide unbiased and accurate information. Disclosure of COI helps maintaining this trust by revealing any potential biases or influences that could affect the content of the work. Ethical responsibility: Authors have an ethical responsibility to be transparent about any relationships, financial interest or affiliations that could potentially bias their work. Failure to disclose COI can lead to accusations of dishonesty or misconduct. Protecting objectivity: Disclosing COI helps to protect the objectivity of the work. It allows readers to evaluate the information provided with full awareness of any biases or influences that may exist. Regualtory requirement: In many fields, there are regulatory requirements or journal publication guidelines that mandate disclosure of COI. Providing academic integrity: In academic and scientific research, transparency is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the research process.
- 9. HOW TO RESOLVE CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN RESEARCH? Disclosure Institutional Policies Transparency Education and training Independent monitoring and Public trust
- 10. HOW TO RESOLVE CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN RESEARCH? Disclosure: Researchers should fully disclose any potential conflicts of interest (COIs) to their institutions, funding agencies and stakeholders. Disclosures should be made in writing and updated regularly. Institutional Policies: Research institutions should have policies and committees to review COI disclosures. These bodies assess the risk and decide on appropriate management plans. Transparency: Researchers should include COI statements in publication and presentation. Education and Training: Regular training for researchers on COI policies and ethical standards. Awareness and education can help researchers navigate potential COIs more effectively. Independent Monitoring: Involve independent reviewers or oversight committees to evaluate the research protocol and findings. These reviewers should be free from the conflicts of interest identified in the study. Public Trust: Prioritize maintaining public trust and credibility in research findings by proactively addressing conflicts of interest. Upholding ethical standards enhances the reputation of researchers and institutions.
- 11. • Transparency and trust • Improved decision making • Stimulating debate and discussion • Identifying potential risks • Encouraging collaboration • Innovation and creativity • Affects teamwork that may impact the organization • Quality of work may be compromised • It can lead to hostility among co-workers • Work performance may deteriorate if left unchecked • It can lead to legal consequences • Damage relationships with internal and external stakeholders-employees, clients and customers Advantages Disadvantages
- 12. CONCLUSION Resolving conflicts of interest in research is essential to uphold the integrity and trustworthiness of scientific endeavors. By identifying, disclosing, and managing COIs effectively, researchers and institutions can maintain ethical standards and ensure the validity of their work. While conflicts of interest in research can provide certain advantages, such as increased funding opportunities and practical applications, they also pose significant disadvantages. These include risks to research integrity, trust, ethical standards, and the overall quality and impact of scientific work. To balance these pros and cons, it's crucial to identify, disclose, and manage conflicts of interest effectively. This helps maximize benefits while minimizing potential drawbacks to scientific work.