What is a conflict of interest for science?

Answer 1

Scientists are professionals who build the technology through invention and discoveries. They accomplish the same through building the scrambled pieces of definite elemental blocks which are proven basic science, mathematical procedures called as knowledge. However finer/accurate the unit blocks are easier is the assembly of such blocks to reach up to the desired target/innovation. One will appreciate certainly that there exists many ways to apply these fundamental blocks to achieve the same target. Some would have taken less steps to reach the goal attributing to lesser cost and some with more steps to reach the same target. The assembling ways differ one from another but the goals remain achieved. Now the Conflict of Interest (COI) starts here between one another as every scientist has their own way of building the fundamental blocks but ultimately reaching the same desired target. One must introspect into such cases more generically to see if the procedures laid down by each of them can be applied similar other cases in a more generic fashion. Since scientist make innovative and creative findings which is totally new, there are no clear ways to define which way is the best and each one of the inventors would claim that they are right always, which result mostly in COI. A small example to prove my point: If one is given bricks of height 4 cm and another 8 cm and the task given is to build a wall of height 40 cm. Both would build it by stacking one over the other easily just by 4 cm brick 10 numbers and 8 cm brick 5 numbers. Now the conflict is that both claim that their size of brick is the best because they were able to construct the required height without breaking any bricks to match the final height. But if the height of the required wall is altered to 44 cm, now the person with brick height 4 cm would complete without breaking it where as the person with the brick height 8 cm eventually end up breaking it to suit the actual height. I wanted to stress on the point that, the multiples of 4 and multiples of 8 would prove that the multiples of 8 fall within the domain/set of the multiples of 4. So for the given task of building a wall 4 cm brick is more generic by achieving all the heights that could be by 8 cm brick and eventually even other heights too which 8 cm brick cannot. When we factorize the knowledge of scientists and the factors would be finer knowledge unit blocks. Finer the unit blocks wider is the horizon reaching far beyond the technologies. Now factoring the target to smaller methods adapted by each scientist to assess the methods for its applicability for other generic cases would resolve the COI. However, though both have reached the target creating a COI each demanding their ways/methods/technologies are the best, the COI shall be resolved only through factoring the methodologies and procedures adapted by them and to find if those procedures and methods are applicable for other generic cases. I hope this helps to know how COI arises between scientists and the ways to resolve such COI's.

Answer 2

This could be the basis of an essay, or in fact a much longer thesis if it examines the sociological aspects of human behavior. You will need to examine what the viewpoints are of each group, what bias they may have, and what level of transparency is going to provided.

However, here is an outline that may prove useful:

Basically, the group of scientists will be involved in peer review, and may be skeptical of information that supports a particular corporate position, especially if it is coming from experiments funded by the same corporation. And especially if it conflicts with independent (i.e. non-corporate) studies on the same subject.

The company employing a scientist will ordinarily dismiss claims of a conflict of interest, but will almost always provide a basis (e.g. double blind studies, independent oversight) on which to accept their claim of objectivity.

The public is likely to consider conflicts of interest based on incomplete or inaccurate information, when this information is circulated widely enough. Without the technical knowledge to weigh competing claims, the people would depend on the reputations of the company, the scientist,and those that expressed public opinions on the subject. The tendency toward cynicism regarding companies and governments means that there will always be some degree of doubt expressed regardless of the available facts.

Answer 3

Scientist are expected to be completely honest about their investigations. Doctors are expected to place the welfare of their patients first. Yet , conflicts of interest can often threaten the creditablity of a researcher. A conflict of interest exists when a persons work can be influenced by personal factorssuch as financail gain, fame, future work or creditability.