Conflictos de interés. ¿Se pueden evitar? ¿Cómo trasparentarlos?

Abstract

Conflicts of interest are all those circumstances in which the professional judgment on a primary interest (patient safety, protection of the subjects on an investigation, validity of the same), may be influenced (consciously or inconsciously) for other secondary interest (financial benefit, prestige, personal or professional promotion). They are not always financial, although they are usually declared, not because they are the most pernicious, but because they can be measured and value objectively. Personal interests can be more powerful than financial ones (professional rivalries, nepotism, religious, political or ideological opinions). They exist regardless the professional considers that they do not influence his decisions. They must be disclosed, and thus voluntarily reduced, before corruption occurs. They have enormous importance in teaching, research and in the writing of clinical practice guidelines.