Research Accountability and Financial Conflicts of Interest in Industry Sponsored Clinical Research: A Review

Financial conflicts of interest that are faced by research institutions and individual researchers represent research integrity and human research subject protection. These conflicts may seriously compromise the protection and safety of human research participants. Financial conflicts compromise the integrity of the research infrastructure. Public perception that financial conflicts compromise trust in the research infrastructure, may result in the unwillingness of individuals to continue to participate in research. Consequently, any results tainted by a researcher's or institution's financial interests may have serious and long-reaching effects with regard to the advancement of science, to the improvement of public health and to the preservation of the public's trust in research objectivity.