conflicts of interest

Conflicts of interest

Helping you get published

A cornerstone of science is that it should be objective and

unbiased. Suppose a researcher could gain financially or career-

wise if he or she gets a particular result from a study. Although this

by itself is acceptable, some people might doubt whether such

considerations had compromised the study design, conduct, or

publication of the study findings, especially if the researcher had

not disclosed the potential gain.1 This situation is termed

“Conflicts of interest” (COI).


“Conflicts of interest” (COI).

What is conflict of interest?

A conflict of interest arises whenever there is any potential bias that could affect a

researcher’s work.

Conflicts of interest can include both financial and non-financial gains.2,3 For example,

consider a peer reviewer who is evaluating a study that decreases the importance of the

reviewer’s own research. This could lead the reviewer to recommend rejection of the

study even if the study itself is original and robust, which gives rise to a conflict of interest.

Conflict of interest due to financial gain is the most common one that authors face and Conflict of interest due to financial gain is the most common one that authors face and

must disclose. It includes sources of funding, ownership of stocks in companies that may

gain financially from the research, and acceptance of consulting fees or salary from a

company that may benefit from the research, among others. For example, a review on the

publication of research findings revealed that research sponsorship contributes to

publication bias because the sponsors often own the data, making the data susceptible to

manipulation and suppression.4

The World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) has a very good description of conflicts

of interest that may arise in various scenarios.

The six Ps

Conflicts of interest are inevitable in an academic career, and it is the responsibility of

researchers to identify potential or actual conflicts. The Integrity Coordinating Group has

outlined an excellent list – known as the six Ps - that researchers can use to determine

whether a conflict of interest exists:5

Public duty versus private interest: Do I or the research sponsor have personal or

financial interests that may conflict or be perceived to conflict with the interests and

welfare of the general public?welfare of the general public?

Potentialities: Could there be financial or other intellectual benefits for me, my

organization, or research sponsor that could cast doubts on my research and data?

The six Ps

Perception: How will my or my research sponsor’s involvement in study conception,

study supervision, study design, research conduct, and manuscript writing be perceived by

others? Would any bias in research design, sample selection, data reporting, data

modification, and manuscript preparation be perceived as a conflict of interest associated

with me, my organization, or research sponsor? Are there any risks associated with me, my

organization, or research sponsor?

Proportionality: Does my or my research sponsor’s involvement in all decisions regarding Proportionality: Does my or my research sponsor’s involvement in all decisions regarding

the research appear to be fair and reasonable?

Presence of mind: What consequences will I face if I ignore or do not disclose a conflict

of interest? Can I give a reasonable answer if editors, reviewers, or readers question my or

my research sponsor’s involvement?

Promises: Have I, my organization, or research sponsor made any promises or

commitment in relation to conducting or publishing the research? Do I stand to gain or

lose from the promised action/decision?

Why authors must disclose conflicts of interest

Almost all scientific and non-technical journals require authors to disclose potential or

actual conflicts of interest related to their study. Some journals, like JAMA, require authors

to submit signed financial disclosure statements. Other journals, like BMC Cancer, insist in

their guidelines that a separate section on conflict of interest be included in the

manuscript and that any details be provided in the covering letter.

When declaring conflicts of interest, researchers are expected to provide detailed

information about relevant financial interests; grants, financial support, and funding information about relevant financial interests; grants, financial support, and funding

received from industry; and other intellectual benefits like filed or pending patents that

represent future financial gains. Researchers are also required to specify the role of the

funding organization or sponsor in the study design and conduct; data collection, analysis,

and interpretation; and manuscript drafting, review, and final approval.

Why authors must disclose conflicts of interest

It is very important to inform journals about conflicts of interest. Journals may not always

publicly disclose conflicts of interest at the time of publishing the paper. However, if any

one questions the study or raises doubt that a conflict of interest exists, the journal will

publish the authors’ conflict of interest disclosure and mention that the authors had

already informed the journal; this makes the authors’ conduct seem less suspicious.

However, if the authors had not informed the journal and it is discovered that conflicts of

interest did indeed exist, the consequences can be serious, including retraction of the

paper and investigation by the authors’ affiliated institutes.paper and investigation by the authors’ affiliated institutes.

Journals do not usually police conflicts of interest issues themselves. Rather, it is the

authors’ affiliation (university or research institute) that creates, implements, and

monitors conflicts of interest policies for their faculty. Thus, authors are usually able to

avoid conflict of interest scenarios before their research is complete and their paper is

submitted for publication. When in doubt, researchers are advised to consult their

institution before approaching the journal.

Conclusion

When the potential for bias is disclosed, readers are aware of the situation and will

judge the research on its merits. On the other hand, failure to disclose relevant

financial/intellectual interests violates the public’s trust, and if such information is

revealed subsequently, the credibility of the researchers and the journal that publishes

the work may be seriously damaged.6


References

1. Financial conflicts of interest and research objectivity: issues for investigators and institutional

review boards. Release Date: June 5, 2000. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-

00-040.html

2. Conflicts of interest in research, University of Southern California. Date issued: November 1,

2007.http://www.usc.edu/research/private/docs/policies/conflictresearch110107.pdf

3. Columbia University. Conflicts of Interest: Responsible Conduct of Research. Available at:

http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/rcr/rcr_conflicts/foundation/index.html#2. Last accessed:

December 26, 2011.December 26, 2011.

4. Song F, Parekh S, Hooper L, Loke YK, Ryder J, Sutton AJ, et al. Dissemination and publication of

research findings: an update review of related biases. Health Technol Assess 2010;14(8).

5. Integrity in the WA public sector; Integrity Coordinating Group.

http://www.opssc.wa.gov.au/ICG/Integrity_in_the_WA_public_sector/Conflict_of_interest/ Date

accessed: May 21, 2011

6. DeAngelis CD, Fontanarosa PB, Flanagin A. Reporting financial conflicts of interest and relationships

between investigators and research sponsors. JAMA 2001;286:89-91


References

7. Shalala, D. (2000). Protecting research subjects—what must be done. New England Journal of

Medicine, 343(11) 808–810.

8. Akst, J. (2009). Consent issues nix blood samples. The Scientist. Available at http://classic.the-

scientist.com/blog/display/56230/%20and%20http://www.texascivilrightsproject.org/?p=1096

9. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts

Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Ethical Considerations in the Conduct and Reporting of Research:

Privacy and Confidentiality. Available at http://www.icmje.org/ethical_5privacy.html

10. The American Journal of Psychiatry. Guidelines For Authors On Preparing Manuscripts. Available 10. The American Journal of Psychiatry. Guidelines For Authors On Preparing Manuscripts. Available

athttp://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/misc/ifora.dtl

11. Journal of the American Medical Association. Instructions for Authors. Available at http://jama.ama-

assn.org/site/misc/ifora.xhtml#EthicalApprovalofStudiesandInformedConsent

12. Levine, S. B., & Stagno, S. J. (2001). Informed consent for case reports: The ethical dilemma of right

to privacy versus pedagogical freedom. Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research, 10. 193–

201. Available at http://jppr.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/10/3/193

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conflicts of interest

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