Guidelines for Minimizing the Effects of Conflicts

Transcript:Guidelines for Minimizing the Effects of Conflicts:
Guidelines for Minimizing the Effects of Conflicts of Interest in Genetic Research on Addiction Thomas F. Babor and Katherine Robaina University of Connecticut School of Medicine October 22, 2014 Industry involvement in genetic research: tobacco Council for Tobacco Research (CTR), the main tobacco-industry-funded research body, ran a $20 million a year research program which focused on genetics 1954 -1999 CIR was among the largest sponsors of medical research in the United States and had given close to $225 million to around 1000 researchers. Research was directed at identifying familial cancers, the role of genetic factors in cancer formation, and the identification of oncogenes responsible for causing lung cancer Promoted the idea that a gene both leads people to smoke and predisposes them to cancer. Industry involvement in genetic research: alcohol ABMRF Analysis of funding portfolio (2008–2010) indicated that more than half of all grants (58%)were given for biomedical research, including genetics None went to environmental or public health research Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center BoD: John Dr. Luca, President and CEO of the Wine Institute; Joseph Gallo, President and CEO of E. & J. Gallo Winery; and Mary Gallo, widow and member of the Gallo Winery Advisory Board Research designed to identify the genetic components of susceptibility to alcohol abuse and alcoholism Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders at the Division on Addictions Received more than $7 million from the NCRG from 1996–2009 supported the idea that an addictive personality, rooted in genetics, puts a small number of people at risk thematic analysis of 45 projects listed on the NCRG’s website found that neuroscience received 32% of its funding, behavioral sciences 51%, and mental illness 17%, with all research focused on the pathological gambler None addressed the environmental contributions to gambling problems Conflict of Interest A conflict of interest is a situation or relationship in which professional, personal, or financial considerations could be seen by a fair-minded person as potentially in conflict with independence of judgement (FARM 1997). A conflict may be personal, commercial, political, academic or financial Personal conflicts include “pet” theories, validation of one’s own ideas, achieving publishable results, and gaining recognition for a discovery “Financial” interests may include employment, research funding, stock or share ownership, payment for lectures or travel, consultancies, and company support for staff (COPE 2001) Conflict of interest is not in itself wrongdoing (FARM 1997) Definitions Types of funding and