Abstract
BackgroundWhile the impact of conflicts-of-interest (COI) is of increasing concern in academic medicine, there is little research on the reaction of practicing clinicians to the disclosure of such conflicts. We developed two research vignettes presenting a fictional antidepressant medication study, one in which the principal investigator had no COI and another in which there were multiple COI disclosed. We confirmed the face validity of the COI vignette through consultation with experts. Hospital-based clinicians were randomly assigned to read one of these two vignettes and then administered a credibility scale.FindingsPerceived credibility ratings were much lower in the COI group, with a difference of 11.00 points (31.42%) on the credibility scale total as calculated through the Mann-Whitney U test (95% CI = 6.99 - 15.00, p < .001). Clinicians in the COI group were also less likely to recommend the antidepressant medication discussed in the vignette (Odds Ratio = 0.163, 95% CI = .03 = 0.875).ConclusionsIn this study, increased disclosure of COI resulted in lower credibility ratings.
Highlights
While the impact of conflicts-of-interest (COI) is of increasing concern in academic medicine, there is little research on the reaction of practicing clinicians to the disclosure of such conflicts
Several studies have found that financial COI play an important role in the presentation and interpretation of research [2,3], and that studies sponsored by industry are more likely to result in the publication of positive findings [4,5,6]
Most medical journals address the issue by requiring that authors disclose their financial COI in a competing interests statement [7]
Summary
While the impact of conflicts-of-interest (COI) is of increasing concern in academic medicine, there is little research on the reaction of practicing clinicians to the disclosure of such conflicts. We developed two research vignettes presenting a fictional antidepressant medication study, one in which the principal investigator had no COI and another in which there were multiple COI disclosed. A recent systematic review [8] finds only a few investigations of the impact of financial COI disclosure on clinicians, key consumers of medical research. Readers of BMJ were sent an article on the treatment of herpes zoster and randomly assigned to receive either a version in which the authors declared financial COI (as employees of a fictional pharmaceutical company) or declared no competing interests (as clinicians at an ambulatory care center).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
