When you’re doing research that involves human subjects, a conflict of interest can arise from the personal and/or financial relationship you have with the organization(s) involved in your study.
Are you:
All of these situations are possible. Any of them could create a conflict of interest – that is, they could compromise the objectivity and integrity of your project and/or the safety of your participants. But none of them have to be a reason to discontinue your study.
If you know (or even think) there’s a conflict of interest in your research project, the first thing to do is disclose it – state it as plainly as you can. Maybe you’ve identified something obvious, or maybe your conflict wouldn’t be known if you didn’t say anything.
Where should you disclose a conflict of interest?
When should you disclose a conflict of interest?
Disclosing a conflict of interest provides reassurance that you’re conducting honest work and doing your best to minimize possible bias and keep participants safe – and, because of that, your results can be trusted. (North Texas)
Who needs to be reassured?
Once you’ve disclosed your conflict of interest, you need to manage it by working to minimize the risk of bias. The best way to minimize the risk of bias in a research project with a conflict of interest is to modify your study. That doesn’t mean you have to change your topic – but it could mean that you change the way you do your research.
Remember, conflicts of interest in research projects are always possible. But, if you identify and manage them, they don’t have to end your research project.