Conflicts of Interest in Science

Defining Conflicts of Interest

Few issues can cast as much suspicion over the truth of scientific results as the accusation of real or potential conflicts of interest among scientists. Broadly construed, conflicts of interest occur when individuals, groups, or organizations have an interest in a decision or outcome and the opportunity to influence the process to get the decision or outcome they prefer. In his 2001 coedited book on conflicts of interest, Michael Davis provides a more precise definition, stating that conflicts of interest occur when an individual is asked to exercise his or her judgment on behalf of an individual or organization, and the individual making the judgment has a special interest that could result in a judgment that would be different if that interest did not exist. Scientists with a conflict of interest might be referred to as having a vested interest or a stake in the outcome, suggesting that the scientists might be influenced to act in favor of that interest.

Science offers many scenarios that could give rise to conflicts of interest. For example, if a scientist receives funding from a specific organization and is then asked to evaluate the efficacy of a product that organization makes, the scientist would have a financial conflict of interest. Specifically, the financial interest may influence the scientist to evaluate the product differently than if no financial tie existed. Another example is when a physician accepts gifts from pharmaceutical corporations. Although accepting gifts is not necessarily unethical, it could give rise to the physician favoring one pharmaceutical's product over [Page 179]another, equally effective drug. Another example would arise if a scientist were asked to review grant proposals, one of which was submitted by his or her collaborator or former student. The prior relationship between the scientist and his or her collaborator or former student could lead the scientist to give more favorable reviews of this submission than if the relationship did not exist.

It is important to point out the difference between bias and conflict of interest. Being biased implies that an individual is not neutral in his or her judgment, meaning that he or she is predisposed toward one view or another. Having a conflict of interest does not mean that an individual is biased, but rather that the conditions are ripe for bias to occur. In the examples given above, the state of conflict has not necessarily resulted in a biased decision, but it has created a greater potential for biased decisions to occur.

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