title: Coping with the Conflict-of-Interest Pandemic by Listening to and Doubting Everyone, Including Yourself.
abstract: In light of the widespread existence of financial and non-financial issues that contribute to the appearance or fact of conflict of interest, it is proposed that conflict of interest should generally be assumed, no matter the source of financial support or the expressed declarations of conflicts and even with respect to one's own work. No new model is advanced for modification of peer-review processes or for elaboration of author declarations of interest. Researchers should be assessing the quality of published work as best they can and make their own decisions on the appropriate use of the work. While some apparent sources of conflict are likely more obvious and serious than others, even subtler biases can influence scientific reports. Ignoring peer-reviewed contributions because of conflict-of-interest concerns is discouraged. Listening skeptically to all sources, including yourself, is encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 323 Kimball Tower, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14214-8028, USA. lk22@buffalo.edu.
authors.forename: Lynn T
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0634-5774
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Kozlowski
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005378:Financial Support; D006801:Humans; D010380:Peer Review; D011643:Publishing / Q000592:standards*; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000941:ethics*; D012586:Science / Q000941:ethics*
keywords: Bias in research; Conflict of interest; Ethics; Industry funding; Peer-review; Responsible conduct of research