Healthy Skepticism Library item: 577

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Cho M.
Disclosing conflicts of interest.
Lancet 1997 Jul 5; 350:(9070):72-3

Keywords:
*letter to the editor scientific publications conflict of interest disclosure relationship between researchers, academic institutions and industry ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: RESEARCH SPONSORSHIP: RESEARCH

Notes:

It is time for the discussion to go beyond disclosure and focus on whether so many scientists should have avoidable conflicting interests in the first place. When investigators are restrained by industry sponsors from presenting their work the sponsorship cannot be revealed. Since researchers are heavily supported by public money they have a moral obligation to disclose conflicts of interest. Disclosure is a prophylactic against loss of public confidence. Financial interests are always secondary to the quality and integrity of clinical research. Financial interests become morally problematic when they are not absolutely necessary to the conduct of research.