Biomaterial Database

[Biomedical research and conflicts of interest]. 2002

François Eisinger

Institut Paoli-Calmettes Inserm U379 E9939 Université de la Méditerranée 232, bd Ste-Marguerite 13009 Marseille. eisinger@marseille.inserm.fr

"PLURAL" METHODS Research is no longer an individual activity but is now "plural" and therefore induces conflicts of interests. Using conflicts of interests as an analytical grid, as such, allows to shrug off value judgements. Good and evil are no more at stake and interests enlightened the actions of the various parties. The patient versus patients leading to the paradigmatic case of sacrifice. Is it allowed to sacrifice one human being on purpose to increase the benefit of many? Researcher (the agent of science) versus physician (the agent of the patient). Patients versus patients (struggle for funding). Manufacturers versus researchers. The simplifying view of "big investors" versus "immaculate research" is superimposed on the metaphor of Goliath versus David. OBJECTIVE Truly the point here argued is that it is not an ethical and individual concern but an organizational issue. The key question is: therefore what kind of rule, what kind of organization should lead to increase efficacy and to reduce tension among the parties involved?

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007221	Industry	Any enterprise centered on the processing, assembly, production, or marketing of a line of products, services, commodities, or merchandise, in a particular field often named after its principal product. Examples include the automobile, fishing, music, publishing, insurance, and textile industries.	Tertiary Sector,Industries,Sector, Tertiary,Sectors, Tertiary,Tertiary Sectors
D008297	Male		Males
D009014	Morals	Standards of conduct that distinguish right from wrong.	Morality
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015871	Scientific Misconduct	Intentional falsification of scientific data by presentation of fraudulent or incomplete or uncorroborated findings as scientific fact.	Ethics in Publishing,Fraud, Scientific,Fraudulent Data,Research Misconduct,Scientific Dishonesty,Data, Fraudulent,Dishonesties, Scientific,Dishonesty, Scientific,Frauds, Scientific,Misconduct, Research,Misconduct, Scientific,Publishing, Ethics in,Scientific Dishonesties,Scientific Fraud,Scientific Frauds
D016265	Conflict of Interest	A situation in which an individual might benefit personally from official or professional actions. It includes a conflict between a person's private interests and official responsibilities in a position of trust. The term is not restricted to government officials. The concept refers both to actual conflict of interest and the appearance or perception of conflict.	Interest Conflict,Interest Conflicts
D028681	Moral Obligations	Duties that are based in ETHICS, rather than in law.	Moral Duties,Duties, Moral,Duty, Moral,Moral Duty,Moral Obligation,Obligation, Moral,Obligations, Moral
D035843	Biomedical Research	Research that involves the application of the natural sciences, especially biology and physiology, to medicine.	Medical Research,Experimental Medicine,Investigational Medicine,Investigative Medicine,Research, Biomedical,Research, Medical,Medicine, Experimental,Medicine, Investigational,Medicine, Investigative
D035844	Researcher-Subject Relations	Interaction between research personnel and research subjects.	Investigator-Subject Relations,Investigator-Subject Relationship,Researcher Subject Relationship,Investigator Subject Relations,Investigator Subject Relationship,Investigator-Subject Relation,Investigator-Subject Relationships,Relation, Investigator-Subject,Relations, Investigator-Subject,Relations, Researcher-Subject,Relationship, Investigator-Subject,Relationships, Investigator-Subject,Researcher Subject Relations,Researcher Subject Relationships