Conflict of Interest

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Each profession has a number of problems and difficulties and to succeed people are to search for the ways of solving those problems. It is much easier to consider the problems connected with the peculiarity of the profession than to solve the ethical issues. When people face an ethical problem, they usually feel more difficulties as in this case professional knowledge is not enough and personal values are to be involved. One of the most frequently met ethical issues in the professional world is the conflict of interests.

This is the problem which seems rather complicated for many employees and especially for scientific workers. Trying to define the problem of the conflict of interests within the professional of a chemical researcher, the specific examples are going to be considered with the possible ways of solving those situations.

Defining the notion of the conflict of interests, it is possible to predict that conflicting interests are involved (Davis, & Stark 2001). Defining the nature of those interests, Maurissen (2005) points to the following interests, financial and nonfinancial.

Financial interests are usually related to employers or other employees, consultants, etc. Non-financial interests are usually connected with the family, colleagues, etc.

Trying to define the conflicts of interest, Maurissen (2005) offers two following definitions, “an individual has a COI when there is a conflict between his/her private or institutional interest and his/her official duties in a position of responsibility or trust” and “an individual is in conflict if he/she owes a duty of loyalty or responsibility to two distinct entities or individuals, both of which are likely to be affected by the scientific activity in which the individual is engaged” (p. 11). These two definitions are closely related to the scientific world.

Much research has been conducted within the problem of the conflict of interests in the scientific sphere. The results of such research are devastating. Some scientists cannot continue their duties after the conflict of interests appears as they shift to another motivation which is more beneficial for them personally.

Krimsky, and Rothenberg (2001) have conducted a research with the purpose to study “the extent to which scientific and biomedical journals have adopted conflict of interests polices for authors, and whether the adoption and content of such policies leads to the publishing of author’s financial interest disclosure statements by such journals” (p. 205).

The results of such research show that only 16% of scientific and biomedical journals had the conflict of interests policies. It means that only 16% of all, the journals which exists in the scientific world are interested in the fairness and necessity of the obtained results.

“Career advancement, independent funding, and personal or professional relationships” (Keeping it real 2007, p. 185) are considered the most commonly used conflicts of interests scientists face. These conflicts may be considered and solved is a scientist is interested in the issue. Many scientists often face the choice whether to continue the project which brings nothing but unsupported hypothesis or to make the false results and to get the career advancement.

Of course, the career development is important and when a person deserves the better position, he/she feels much better having got it, however, having an opportunity to act illegally, a person does not deserve the better position, he/she just stoles it. The conflict of interests in this case is connected with the duties and the financial issues as the career advancement usually presuppose the increase of the salary. Solving this conflict, a person should try to remember the primary intentions he/she had when started the scientific career.

The conscious and moral aspect may be involved. It is important to arise in the person the primary intentions he/she had and in this case the financial motivation may appear behind the desire to work for the benefit of the science. Otherwise, the illegal actions may lead to prison or cause financial losses.

The company should also create a specific policy according to which people are proposed to the better positions. The successfully completed project should not be considered as the central issue. In this case people will not be involved in the conflict of interests.

The problems which deal with the personal relationships at the workplace are common as well. The main idea of the conflict is when having the romantic or other family relationships in the company, people cannot perform their duties appropriately, the working process suffers greatly, etc.

The creation of the policy and the firing for personal relationships at the work place are the main measures which are to be taken. If the policy is created after the problem appearance, the head manager should share the responsibilities among people involved in the conflict in such a way that they do not cross while the working hours.

As for me, the conflict of interests is related to motivation. If a person experiences difficulties, so the motivation is changing. Being the professional desire to search the truth, the financial award may be used for creating the conflict.

Working under one important chemical project, I want to say that there are a lot of different situations when the conflict of interests tried to prevent me from the final purpose of my project. However, each time I managed to remain devoted to the interest of the research and fair to my duties. I see that there may be more other conflicts which may cause many problems for me, however, I know what to do.

I have also appeared in a complicated situation which caused the conflict of interests. Working on a project for a long period of time, I become more and more dependant from the desire to complete it as fast as possible. The family and friends are put on the last positions in my life. The conflict was created on the personal issues, when I had to decide whether to continue the project which is really important for me or to choose the family and refuse from professional growth.

The decision was not easy as it is impossible to create a policy or to go to the court with such a problem. When family is involved in the conflict of interests is it always more difficult. However, all the situations have the ways out and it is always possible to find the compromise. The decision is to allow me to complete my project and then I will have to develop the schedule according to which I will not have such problems. Taking new projects I will have to plan my time more appropriately.

Therefore, it should be concluded that he conflicts of interests are common and many people usually face the dilemma. The professional advice or reasonable personal decision may prevent people from mistakes. The policy at the workplace is one of the main measures which may prevent people from acting illegally as in many cases the conflicts of interest cause the suits to the court.

Reference List

Davis, M & Stark, A 2001, Conflict of Interest in the Professions. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

‘Keeping it real’ 2007, Nature Chemical Biology, vol. 3, no. 4, p. 185.

Krimsky, S, & Rothenberg, LS 2001, ‘Conflict of interest polices in science and medical journals: Editorial practices and author disclosures’, Science and Engineering Ethics, vol. 7, pp. 207-218.

Maurissen, JP, et al. 2005, ‘Workshop proceedings: managing conflict of interest in science. A little consensus and a lot of controversy’, Toxicological Sciences, vol. 87, no. 1, pp. 11-14.

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Conflict of Interest

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