This title slide displays the main topic "Conflict of Interest in Research and Publication Ethics." The subtitle notes it is a 20-minute seminar for 15 PhD scholars, presented by Presenter Name on Date from Affiliation.

Conflict of Interest in Research and Publication Ethics

20-Minute Seminar for 15 PhD Scholars Presenter Name | Date | Affiliation

This slide introduces research ethics by emphasizing core principles of integrity, honesty, and objectivity. It explains how ethics safeguards public trust, ensures reliable and reproducible knowledge, and drives academia and societal progress.

Introduction to Research Ethics

• Emphasizes core principles: integrity, honesty, objectivity.
• Safeguards public trust in scientific research.
• Ensures reliable, reproducible knowledge production.
• Essential for academia and societal progress.

A conflict of interest arises when secondary interests clash with primary professional duties, encompassing actual, potential, or perceived conflicts. Actual COIs involve real influence on judgment, potential ones a foreseeable risk of undue influence, and perceived ones an appearance of bias, dividing loyalty between duty and self-interest.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

• Secondary interests clash with primary professional duties
• Encompasses actual, potential, or perceived conflicts
• Actual COI: Real influence on judgment exists
• Potential COI: Foreseeable risk of undue influence
• Perceived COI: Appearance of bias or partiality
• Core issue: Divides loyalty between duty and self-interest

The slide "Types of COI" divides conflicts of interest into two columns. The left covers Financial & Personal COIs (e.g., industry funding, stock ownership, family ties), which skew results and erode trust; the right details Academic & Institutional COIs (e.g., researcher rivalries, university biases), causing suppressed data and unfair peer review.

Types of COI

This slide lists examples of conflicts of interest (COI) in research under the title "Examples of COI in Research." Key points include pharma funding biasing drug trials, researchers owning patents on interventions, undisclosed collaborator ties, and the Vioxx scandal hiding cardiac risks for profit.

Examples of COI in Research

• Pharma funding biases drug trial outcomes
• Researcher owns patent on studied intervention
• Undisclosed ties with collaborators
• Vioxx scandal: hidden cardiac risks for profit

The slide "COI in Publication" highlights common conflicts of interest in academic publishing. Examples include guest authorship for funding incentives, undisclosed peer reviewer conflicts, journal editors owning company stock, and ghostwriting by unacknowledged authors.

COI in Publication

• Guest authorship for funding incentives
• Peer reviewer undisclosed conflicts
• Journal editor owns company stock
• Ghostwriting by unacknowledged authors

The slide mandates full disclosure in papers and grants using standardized forms and statements, required prior to submission. This builds trust and enables bias assessment.

Disclosure and Transparency

• Mandatory full disclosure in papers and grants.
• Use standardized forms and statements.
• Builds trust and enables bias assessment.
• Required prior to submission.

The Ethical Guidelines slide lists key resources for handling conflicts of interest (COI), including COPE best practices for journals, ICMJE author disclosure forms, ORI research integrity policies, and NIH funding requirements. It stresses that transparent, timely COI reporting is essential.

Ethical Guidelines

• COPE: Best practices for journal COI handling (cope.org)
• ICMJE: Uniform disclosure form for authors (icmje.org)
• ORI: US research misconduct and integrity policies (ori.hhs.gov)
• NIH: Funding-specific COI disclosure requirements (grants.nih.gov)
• Key: Transparent, timely COI reporting essential

Source: COPE, ICMJE, ORI, NIH

This slide on Managing COI in Research emphasizes early identification, transparent disclosure, and recusal if conflicts can't be mitigated. It also advocates for independent oversight, established mitigation protocols, and regular institutional reviews.

Managing COI in Research

• Identify potential COIs early in the process
• Disclose all conflicts transparently and promptly
• Recuse if mitigation is not feasible
• Implement independent oversight mechanisms
• Establish protocols for COI mitigation
• Conduct institutional reviews regularly

Authors must declare conflicts of interest (COI) during manuscript submission, allowing editors to assess impacts on research integrity and consider options like removing authors or declining review. Policies also permit post-publication COI updates to ensure ongoing transparency and accountability.

Managing COI in Publication

• Declare COI in manuscript submission.
• Editors assess impact on research integrity.
• Alternatives: remove authors or decline review.
• Allow post-publication COI updates.
• Promote ongoing transparency and accountability.

Source: COPE and ICMJE Guidelines

The slide features a flowchart titled "COI Disclosure Process." It outlines steps to identify potential conflicts of interest, assess their significance, disclose them in the required form, and reach a decision via journal review.

Flowchart: COI Disclosure Process

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• Identify potential conflicts of interest (COI)
• Assess significance of the COI
• Disclose COI in required form
• Journal review leads to decision

Source: Wikipedia

The slide features a diagram titled "Ethical Decision-Making Model" with four key steps. These steps are: identify the problem and potential COI, evaluate alternatives with ethics checkpoints, consult guidelines and colleagues, and decide, implement, and document the process.

Diagram: Ethical Decision-Making Model

!Image

• Identify problem and potential COI
• Evaluate alternatives with ethics checkpoints
• Consult guidelines and colleagues
• Decide, implement, and document process

Source: Wikipedia: ethical decision making model

This slide outlines institutional responsibilities for managing conflicts of interest (COI). Key actions include developing COI policies and training, establishing oversight committees, monitoring disclosure compliance, and providing researcher support resources.

Institutional Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive COI policies and training programs
• Establish dedicated COI committees for oversight
• Implement monitoring for disclosure compliance
• Provide support resources for researcher disclosures

Non-disclosure in research leads to severe consequences like article retractions, loss of funding, reputational damage, legal penalties, and bans from journals and agencies. Real-world cases include fraud convictions that end careers.

Consequences of Non-disclosure

• Article retractions and publication removal
• Loss of research funding and grants
• Irreparable damage to professional reputation
• Legal penalties, fines, and sanctions
• Bans from journals and funding agencies
• Cases: Fraud convictions, career endings

The slide's conclusion emphasizes prioritizing ethics by always disclosing information, with transparency as key to protecting integrity, under the subtitle "Commit to Ethical Research." It invites Q&A, lists resources like COPE and ICMJE sites, and ends with "Thank you!"

Conclusion & Takeaway

• Prioritize ethics: Disclose always

• Key: Transparency protects integrity
• Q&A
• Resources: COPE, ICMJE sites
• Thank you!

Commit to Ethical Research

Source: Conflict of Interest in Research and Publication Ethics