Ethics Context

Trust forms the basis of the relationship among researchers, research subjects, REBs, research sponsors, institutions, professional associations, and the public. In such a trust relationship, the interests of the research subject should take priority over the interests of others.

Conflicts of interest may arise whenever the obligations of an investigator (or other member of the research team) to research subjects are compromised or threatened by that individual's personal interests in accommodating financial arrangements, personal relationships, the institution's goals, job security, or personal goals. Conflicts of interest may also arise because of an institution's need to remain financially sound or because of its desire to participate in technology transfer.

Conflicts of interest may interfere with the fairness and equity of the research process. Even the appearance of a conflict of interest may harm trust and threaten the integrity of researchers and research involving human subjects as a whole.

Conflicts of interest may, for example:

• result in the enrolment of individuals who do not meet study requirements
• result in subjects not being fully informed about the potential harms of the study
• bias the data collection and/or reporting of research results
• make the investigator or the research sponsor reluctant to disseminate the findings of the study.