scholarly journals Bias in the Evaluation of Conflict of Interest Policies

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 368-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachariah Sharek ◽  
Robert E. Schoen ◽  
George Loewenstein
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Motivated Reasoning ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Prior Beliefs ◽  
Process Information ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Considerable Controversy ◽  
Personal Interests

A wide range of medical institutions have developed and implemented policies to mitigate the adverse consequences of conflicts of interest. These newly implemented policies, which include regulation of industry contact with physicians and hospitals, controls on gifts from industry, and greater transparency in industry sponsored activities, have generated considerable controversy.Formulating and evaluating policies in a neutral, unbiased fashion can be difficult for those personally affected. When people have a stake in an issue, they tend to process information in a selective fashion that supports their personal interests, a phenomenon known as “motivated reasoning.” When decision makers with preexisting opinions are exposed to information, they are inclined to selectively use the information to arrive at conclusions that justify their prior beliefs. When confronted with information that contradicts existing views, people evaluate it with greater skepticism. Additionally, once decision makers have reached a decision, they are likely to evaluate subsequent evidence in a biased manner that supports their decision.

scholarly journals Analysis of motivation for acting subjects in diagnostics of occupational diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 99 (11) ◽  
pp. 1217-1221
Author(s):  
Alexey D. Trubetskov
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Occupational Diseases ◽  
Detection Rate ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Financial Interest ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
Professional Longevity ◽  
Detection And Diagnosis

Introduction. There is a shallow detection rate of occupational diseases in Russia. A large number of acting subjects are usually involved in the diagnosis of diseases. There is considered the current cooperation between the acting subjects responsible for diagnostics of occupational diseases in various modes. Material and methods. A search was conducted for data that described the main trends concerning conflict of interest in occupational health. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were conducted on issues related to the diagnosis of occupational diseases of specialists working in various branches of this field of medicine Results. The author performed the analysis of existing conflicts of interest in acting subjects in the detection and diagnosis of occupational diseases and established the most significant acting subjects. Among them the most pronounced conflicts of interest were shown to be determined by employers (as institutions, and specific managers and doctors performing examinations of workers in harmful conditions, and the managing stuff of these medical institutions, as well as by the employees themselves, who are subject to these examinations. When analyzing the motivation of acting subjects, the primary and financial interest was shown to have less significance than the secondary one. Mutual connectivity in the implementation of secondary interests adjudicates a persistent configuration, which determines both the low detection rate of occupational diseases, including at early stages, and lack of opportunities for prolonging professional longevity. The existence of a conflict of interest is not evil in itself. Still, its resolution is always associated with obtaining benefits, including the entire country’s level (saving the lives of the working population). Conclusion. To increase staff lifespan and work longevity through the analysis of all acting subjects, it is necessary to improve managing decisions to achieve the predominant primary interests. The study of the conflicts of interest can be an effective method of understanding and improving the health system in occupational health to preserve public health and increase the working population’s longevity.

scholarly journals What’s it to me? Self-interest and evaluations of financial conflicts of interest

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Samuel V Bruton ◽  
Donald F Sacco
Keyword(s):  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Motivated Reasoning ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Personal Interest ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Financial Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Experimental Findings ◽  
Ethical Significance ◽  
Personal Interests

Disclosure has become the preferred way of addressing the threat to researcher objectivity arising from financial conflicts of interest (FCOIs). This article argues that the effectiveness of disclosure at protecting science from the corrupting effects of FCOIs—particularly the kind of disclosure mandated by US federal granting agencies—is more limited than is generally acknowledged. Current NIH and NSF regulations require disclosed FCOIs to be reviewed, evaluated, and managed by officials at researchers’ home institutions. However, these reviewers are likely to have institutional and personal interests of their own that may undermine the integrity of their evaluations. This paper presents experimental findings suggesting that such interests affect third-party assessments of FCOIs. Over 200 participants gauged the ethical significance of various hypothetical yet realistic FCOIs in academic research settings. Some of them were led to believe they had a small personal interest in allowing conflicted research to proceed, whereas others’ personal outcomes were unrelated to the conflicted research. The results show that motivated reasoning influences FCOI evaluations, such that those with personal interest in conflicted research provided more lenient evaluations of researcher FCOIs. These findings imply that the capacity of federally mandated FCOI disclosure procedures to enhance bias-free science is quite restricted.

scholarly journals Preventing conflicts of i nterest: the policy of giving and accepting gifts in the civil service

2020 ◽  
pp. 279-285
Author(s):  
M. D. Nauryzbek
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Civil Servants ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Gift ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Government ◽  
The One ◽  
Personal Interests

The article raises the issue of conflict of interest and its prevention. The first threat of a conflict of interest in general is a violation of the balance between the personal interests of civil servants and the public interest. And the second risk is that a conflict of interest reduces the level of public trust and confidence in the loyalty and impartiality of public officials. This article analyzes and studies the real form of conflict of interest in Kazakhstan, namely two gift policy options. In particular, the zero gift policy and the limited gift ban policy are the subject of this research. On the one hand, the gift policy may completely prohibit accepting the gifts in order to prevent conflicts of interest. This zero gift policy implies that there is a ban for any gifts, regardless of the price. The establishment of a zero gift policy affects the level of confidence in the government, since citizens know that no factors affect the performance of a civil servant’s work. However, this will significantly restrict the freedom of action of civil servants. On the other hand, the gift policy can determine the rules for accepting the gifts both at workplace and after the work hours. If a gift is permissible, then there is a question of establishing an acceptable price. This means adopting a policy of limited prohibition on gifts and such a policy promotes the development of civil servants' consciousness. As a result, the author suggests a more favorable policy for Kazakhstan.

RESOLVING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND IDEOLOGIES: A SIMULATION OF POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING

1983 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhonda L. Love ◽  
Richard M. Rozelle ◽  
Daniel Druckman
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Alternative Programs ◽  
Political Decision ◽  
High Conflict ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Conflicting Interests ◽  
Political Decision Making

This study was designed to assess the relative importance of conflicting interests and ideologies as determinants of conflict resolution. The conflict was defined in the context of a simulation of political decision-making. Decision-makers had different preferences for the allocation of resources to alternative programs. Six male and six female dyads were run in each cell of a design that made size of conflicting interests orthogonal to amount of ideological dissensus. A significant main effect for conflict of interest was attained on each measure of negotiating behavior. High conflict of interest dyads took longer to negotiate, allocated less funds, produced more asymmetrical out comes, and had more unresolved conflicts than low conflict of interest dyads. Perceptions of the situation corresponded to negotiating behavior. High conflict dyads viewed the negotiation more like a “win-lose” competition, were less willing to compromise, regarded compromise as being more like defeat, and so on. The amount of variance accounted for by the ideology and sex variables was negligible on most of the behavioral and perceptual indices. The implications of these results were discussed in terms of a weighting that is affected by aspects of the conflict situation.

Policy solutions to conflicts of interest: the value of professional norms

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUNITA SAH
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Financial Advisors ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
Professional Norms ◽  
Good People ◽  
Personal Interests ◽  
And Training ◽  
Policy Solutions

AbstractAdvisors, such as physicians, financial advisors, lawyers and accountants, often face a conflict of interest – that is, a clash between their professional and personal interests. Such conflicts can lead to biased and corrupt advice. In this paper, I focus on how conflicts of interest can cause good people to unintentionally cross ethical boundaries and how we can avoid succumbing to this bias. I first discuss two mechanisms through which advisors may convince themselves to accept conflicts of interest while vehemently believing that they remain unbiased: (1) a sense of entitlement; and (2) a sense of invulnerability created by their belief in their own professionalism. I then discuss several proposed policy solutions to manage conflicts of interest, such as education and training, sanctions, second opinions and disclosure policies. These proposed solutions for dealing with conflicts of interest are largely based on inaccurate intuitions regarding the psychological processes that underlie them; consequently, these policies tend to fail or have unintended consequences. In the absence of eliminating conflicts of interest, solutions that are more likely to be successful consist of identifying and changing the professional norms that exert powerful influences on employee behaviour.

Justification of the need to improve the legal, regulatory and methodological framework for the spread of parasitic infections in the provision of medical care

2020 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 493-497
Author(s):  
M. M. Aslanova ◽  
T. V. Gololobova ◽  
K. Yu. Kuznetsova ◽  
Tamari R. Maniya ◽  
D. V. Rakitina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Care ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Parasitic Infections ◽  
Infusion Therapy ◽  
Methodological Framework ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
Medical Network ◽  
Wide Range

Introduction. The purpose of our work was to justify the need to improve the legislative, regulatory and methodological framework and preventative measures in relation to the spread of parasitic infections in the provision of medical care. There is a wide range of pathogens of parasitic infestations that are transmitted to humans through various medical manipulations and interventions carried out in various medical institutions. Contaminated care items and furnishings, medical instruments and equipment, solutions for infusion therapy, medical personnel’s clothing and hands, reusable medical products, drinking water, bedding, suture and dressing materials can serve as a major factor in the spread of parasitic infections in the provision of medical care. Purpose of research is the study of the structure and SMP of parasitic origin, circulating on the objects of the production environment in multi-profile medical and preventive institutions of stationary type in order to prevent the occurrence of their spread within medical institutions. Material and methods. The material for the study was flushes taken from the production environment in 3 multi-profile treatment and prevention institutions of inpatient type: a multi-specialty hospital, a maternity hospital and a hospital specializing in the treatment of patients with intestinal diseases for the eggs of worms and cysts of pathogenic protozoa. Results. During the 2-year monitoring of medical preventive institutions, a landscape of parasitic contamination was found to be obtained from the flushes taken from the production environment objects in the premises surveyed as part of the research work. Discussions. In the course of research, the risk of developing ISMP of parasitic origin was found to be determined by the degree of epidemiological safety of the hospital environment, the number and invasiveness of treatment and diagnostic manipulations and various medical technologies. Conclusion. It is necessary to conduct an expert assessment of regulatory and methodological documents in the field of epidemiological surveillance and sanitary and hygienic measures for the prevention of medical aid related infections of parasitic origin, to optimize the regulatory and methodological base, to develop a number of preventive measures aimed at stopping the spread of parasitic infections in the medical network.

General Particulars Regarding the Conflict of Interest

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-149
Author(s):  
Aurelia Teodora Drăghici
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
National Level ◽  
The State ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Legal Implications ◽  
Determining Factors ◽  
Changing Role

SummaryTheme conflicts of interest is one of the major reasons for concern local government, regional and central administrative and criminal legal implications aiming to uphold the integrity and decisions objectively. Also, most obviously, conflicts of interest occur at the national level where political stakes are usually highest, one of the determining factors of this segment being the changing role of the state itself, which creates opportunities for individual gain through its transformations.

The Effects of Decision Time on Perceptions of Decisions and Decision Makers in (Moral) Trade-Off Scenarios

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Katharina Spälti ◽  
Mark John Brandt ◽  
Marcel Zeelenberg
Keyword(s):  
Decision Process ◽  
Decision Time ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Process Information ◽  
Total N ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Financial Gain ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Sacred Values ◽  
Moral Context

People often have to make trade-offs. We study three types of trade-offs: 1) "secular trade-offs" where no moral or sacred values are at stake, 2) "taboo trade-offs" where sacred values are pitted against financial gain, and 3) "tragic trade-offs" where sacred values are pitted against other sacred values. Previous research (Critcher et al., 2011; Tetlock et al., 2000) demonstrated that tragic and taboo trade-offs are not only evaluated by their outcomes, but are also evaluated based on the time it took to make the choice. We investigate two outstanding questions: 1) whether the effect of decision time differs for evaluations of decisions compared to decision makers and 2) whether moral contexts are unique in their ability to influence character evaluations through decision process information. In two experiments (total N = 1434) we find that decision time affects character evaluations, but not evaluations of the decision itself. There were no significant differences between tragic trade-offs and secular trade-offs, suggesting that the decisions structure may be more important in evaluations than moral context. Additionally, the magnitude of the effect of decision time shows us that decision time, may be of less practical use than expected. We thus urge, to take a closer examination of the processes underlying decision time and its perception.

Preventing and Managing Conflict of Interest in Nutrition Policy: Lessons for Alcohol Control Comment on "Towards Preventing and Managing Conflict of Interest in Nutrition Policy? An Analysis of Submissions to a Consultation on a Draft WHO Tool"

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Severi
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Nutrition Policy ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Alcohol Control ◽  
Policy Debates ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Industry Engagement ◽  
Health Organization

Ralston et al present an analysis of policy actor responses to a draft World Health Organization (WHO) tool to prevent and manage conflicts of interest (COI) in nutrition policy. While the Ralston et al study is focussed explicitly on food and nutrition, the issues and concepts addressed are relevant also to alcohol policy debates and present an important opportunity for shared learning across unhealthy commodity industries in order to protect and improve population health. This commentary addresses the importance of understanding how alcohol policy actors – especially decision-makers – perceive COI in relation to alcohol industry engagement in policy. A better understanding of such perceptions may help to inform the development of guidelines to identify, manage and protect against risks associated with COI in alcohol policy.

scholarly journals Expert Advisory Groups: Exploring the Sensemaking Proces s During a Public Health C risis R esponse

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iva Seto ◽  
David Johnstone ◽  
Jennifer Campbell-Meier
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Process Information ◽  
Unexpected Event ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Creation Process ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Advisory Groups ◽  
Expert Advisory ◽  
Meaning Creation

In a public health crisis, experts (such as epidemiologists, public health officers, physicians and virologists) support key decision  makers with advice in a highly dynamic, pressured,  and time-sensitive context. Experts must process information (to provide advice) as quickly as possible, yet this must be balanced with ensuring the information is credible, reliable,  and relevant. When an unexpected event occurs, it may lead to a gap between what is  experienced and what was expected; sensemaking is a meaning creation process which is engaged to fill the gap. This research explores how experts engage in sensemaking during a  public health crisis.

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