Potential conflicts of interest in biomedical publications

Abstract

In human communication and personal relations, there is the possibility of dissent and have a conflict related to the perception or acceptance of the content of a message. To reach an agreement, it is important that the communication between people is horizontal and bidirectional while the issue is being discussed, in order to bring together the interlocutors’ expectations and interests. In the administration of services and goods, friendship and nepotism have been the most frequent forms of potential conflicts of interest. These behaviors arise when a person, like a civil servant or employee, feels influenced by personal considerations when he is doing his work and when he is making decisions. The conflict of perceived interested can be so harmful to the reputation and confidence of an organization, as the real existence of a conflict of interest. In some countries, the law obliges organisms to have codes of ethics that cover these aspects. Thus, it is desirable the incorporation of ethical principles and “moral competences” in the curricula of health professionals. Actually, in medicine and biomedical investigation, conflicts of interest are a condition related to clinicians and researchers, who distort their results and work to obtain personal or financial benefits. In the generation and transmission of knowledge, the circumstances determine if a conflict of interest exists, not the methodology, either the results of the investigation, not even the technology used on their diffusion.