Conflict of Interest in Medical Research and Clinical Trials

Scientific Essay from the year 2015 in the subject Medicine - Other, , language: English, abstract: Conflict of interest in medical research or clinical trial refers to situations where a patient's health is compromised by either financial or non-financial gains. It is defined as a dispute between a physician's decision in patient's best interest, and any potential personal gain. Concerns regarding the influence of biotechnology companies and pharmaceutical industries in research activities and funding of clinical trials have been increasing since the 1970's. Conflict of interest arising from wide range of financial ties with the private industry leads to undue pressure on professional judgments and put the objectivity of professional education and the patient's care and confidence in medicine at risk. This bias may affect adverse events reporting, data analysis and interpretation. As such, there is a growing need to safeguard the interest of the human subjects and to protect their welfare while participating in research and clinical trials.