Conflicts of interest, smoke and mirrors
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Stevenson, JC
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Commercial funding of research studies may potentially influence or bias the findings and interpretation of results. An editorial on conflicts of interest suggested that funding from non-commercial sources, such as government agencies, may also represent a conflict of interest, and uses the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) as an example of how this might be. Two WHI investigators responded by claiming that the arguments put forward in the editorial were largely ‘red herrings’ and were aimed at disparaging the WHI results. But there is evidence of bias in the presentation and interpretation of WHI findings by some investigators which may be due to conflicts of interest. It is probably wise to declare all sources of external research funding, including industries, governments and charities, as conflicts of interest so that reviewers of such research studies are alerted to give them full scrutiny for evidence of external influences.
Date Issued
2015-05-12
Date Acceptance
2015-04-02
Citation
Climacteric, 2015, 18 (3), pp.348-349
ISSN
1473-0804
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Start Page
348
End Page
349
Journal / Book Title
Climacteric
Volume
18
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Climacteric on 12 May 2015, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.3109/13697137.2015.1038771
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Obstetrics & Gynecology
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
WOMEN'S HEATH INITIATIVE
GOVENMENT FUNDING
CHARITABLE FUNDING
ESTROGEN PLUS PROGESTIN
RISK
Publication Status
Published