Strategies for Addressing a Broader Definition of Conflicts of Interest

In the pursuit of truth in scientific evaluation, objectivity of the researcher is assumed, but in reality, interpreting research data requires judgment and interpretation. That 2 scientists can analyze the same data set and come to different conclusions is a reflection of the subjective elements that illustrate both the complexity of science and the potential for bias to influence reported outcomes. As one potential source of bias, a conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning some primary interest or responsibility is affected by a secondary interest or responsibility. Here, McKinney and Pierce address financial conflicts of interest and minimize subjective bias in research.