Conflict of interest

In research, a conflict of interest occurs when a person, usually an investigator, involved with a research study also has financial, personal, or other interests from which they can benefit. For a conflict of interest to occur, the possible benefit must be dependent on the results of the research study. This includes actions and judgements during the running of the study, collection of data, and analysis, interpretation, or presentation of the results of the study, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The concern is that the conflict of interest will influence (or give the appearance of influencing) the investigator’s primary responsibility, which is to obtain scientifically valid results. Conflicts of interest are not unusual in research, but they require proper management to safeguard the integrity of research.

Sourced From
National Institute on Aging (NIA) Glossary of Clinical Research Term
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI): Glossary
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Conflicts of interest in research: looking out for number one means keeping the primary interest front and center [2015 published article]

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