Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14623

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

Go RS.
Issues Behind Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
JAMA 2008 Dec 12; 300:(18):
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/300/18/2120-a?etoc

Abstract:

To the Editor: In their Commentary, Drs Cain and Detsky1 discussed that conflicts of interest are more likely to result from unintentional bias rather than intentional bias, based on studies of human psychology. This underscores the need for full disclosure of conflicts of interests among researchers, even physicians. The Commentary considered the study by Cain et al2 that suggested that full disclosure may have the opposite effect of making professionals more biased. However, the primary purpose of disclosure is not to make researchers less biased; it is to inform readers and the public of potential bias so that they can make their own judgments on the credibility of the information presented.

In addition, it is likely that not all financial conflicts of interest are equal when it comes to introduction of bias. The higher the monetary value involved, the more likely that bias may be introduced. After all, this is . . .