Ethics: conflicts of interest

摘要

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines a conflict of interest as 'a conflict between the private interests and the official responsibilities of a person in a position of trust.'1 Thompson2 states, 'A conflict of interest is a set of conditions in which professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as a patient's welfare or the validity of research) tends to be unduly influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain).' The primary interest refers to the professional function of the researcher or physician. This includes the health and well-being of patients and research subjects, and the reliability of the research. The secondary interest is 'usually not illegitimate in itself, and indeed it may even be a necessary and desirable part of professional practice. Only its relative weight in professional decisions is problematic.'2 It is important to minimise the influence of these secondary factors on the primary interest in professional decision-making.