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Conflicts of Interest in Guideline Development: What to Do When Everyone Has a Conflict

Anne R. Bass, MD  |  Issue: March 2023  |  

References

  1. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education, and Practice. Conflict of interest in medical research, education and practice. Lo B, Field MJ, editors. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press; 2009.
  2. Nejstgaard CH, Bero L, Hróbjartsson A, et al. Association between conflicts of interest and favourable recommendations in clinical guidelines, advisory committee reports, opinion pieces, and narrative reviews: systematic review. BMJ. 2020 Dec 9;371:m4234.
  3. Parker L, Bero L. Managing risk from conflicts of interest in guideline development committees. BMJ. 2022 Dec 6;379:e072252.
  4. DuBroff R. Confirmation bias, conflicts of interest and cholesterol guidance: can we trust expert opinions? QJM. 2018 Oct 1;111(10):687–689.
  5. American College of Rheumatology. Policy and Procedure Manual for Clinical Practice Guidelines. 2015. https://www.rheumatology.org/portals/0/Files/ACR%20Guideline%20Manual_Appendices_updated%202015.pdf.
  6. Wayant C, Walters C, Zaaza Z, et al. Evaluation of financial conflicts of interest among physician-authors of American College of Rheumatology clinical practice guidelines. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020 Sep;72(9):1427–1434.
  7. Loewenstein G, Sah S, Cain DM. The unintended consequences of conflict of interest disclosure. JAMA. 2012 Feb 15;307(7):669–670.
  8. Torgerson T, Wayant C, Cosgrove L, et al. Ten years later: a review of the US 2009 institute of medicine report on conflicts of interest and solutions for further reform. BMJ Evid Based Med. 2022 Feb;27(1):46–54.

Editor’s note: If you have a comment for the author or a case you’d like to see in Ethics Forum, email us at [email protected].

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