title: Conflict of interest in biomedical research: a view from Europe.
abstract: In this paper I address the conflict of interest (CoI) issue from a legal point of view at a European level. We will see that the regulatory framework that exists in Europe does state the need for the independence of ethics committee involved in authorisation of research and clinical trials. We will see that CoI is an element that has to be closely monitored at National and International level. Therefore, Member States and Newly Associated States do have to address CoI in the authorisation process of research and clinical protocols of biomedicine.
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Research Directorate-General, Life Sciences-Bioethics, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. Maurizio.Salvi@cec.eu.int
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvi
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003132:Commerce / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016265:Conflict of Interest / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017041:Ethics Committees; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D006801:Humans; D017712:Peer Review, Research / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*