Conflicts Of Interest And Its Impact On Research - 1440 Words

Conflicts of interest appear in all aspects of life, yet in research the potential consequences of these conflicts may be disastrous. Allowing conflicts of interest to exist in science has a negative impact on research – they could damage public opinions of science and slow the progression of research. Scientific disciplines have the potential to harm society, highlighting the need to conduct ethical research free from conflicts of interest. In epidemiology, conflicting interests may have serious repercussions, as demonstrated by the case of Pat Buffler. These cases demonstrate the need to regulate conflicts of interest: strategies are necessary to prevent and manage any conflicts which may arise. Conflicts of interest are circumstances†¦show more content†¦The deliberate or unintentional bias arising from a conflict contributes to research misconduct2, and failure to address these conflicts may damage the public’s attitude towards science2. Furthermore, non-disclosure of secondary interests adds to the distrust between the researcher and other scientists2. Consequently, the efficiency of research is reduced2: modern research requires scientific collaboration to develop materials, specimens and information2, and doubtful results must be cross-examined to be validated. Furthermore, if the researcher’s actions damage the relationship between scientists and funders, future research may stop, as institutions providing financial support may be reluctant to invest in the researcher2. The researcher suffers the most from a discovered conflict of interest, as they are penalised for misconduct. The severity of the penalty reflects the misconduct, and can range fr om exclusion from a research project, retraction of research, or even the researcher’s dismissal5. The appropriate action is affected by the researcher’s scientific discipline, as each institution has different codes of conduct5. Conflicts of interest are present in all scientific disciplines. Epidemiological research has direct impacts for many people, so it is important for the research to be free from misconduct6. As such, research should be of high quality and unbiased by any