Conflicts of Interest - Developing Resolutions in Continuing Medical Education Research Presentations

This project was conducted between June 1, 2005 and May 30, 2007 and was funded by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Office of Research Integrity (ORI) [Responsible Conduct of Research Program for Academic Societies]. This was a qualitative study to examine the personal and institutional approaches taken in the conflict resolution process by investigating the presence of perceived bias in oral and print content of research findings presented in certified Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities.

Research Hypothesis:Successful organizational-based solutions can be identified to identify and resolve potential conflicts of interest in dissemination of research through peer-reviewed, CME-based presentations.  

Research questions:

1. What are successful and what are inappropriate forms of resolution of potential conflicts of interest completed at both the individual and organizational level?
2. What are the scenarios that can be developed that will help illustrate how conflict of interest enters into the research process?
    

Timeline

This study was conducted from June 1, 2005, through May 31, 2006.

Key Findings and Publications

While limited, this pilot study confirms the subjectivity and variability in perceiving commercial bias within research findings presented in CME venues. There needs to be further study of these questions to guide the resolution of conflicts of interest in research and CME.

Evaluating Conflicts of Interest in Research Presented in CME Venues. Davis NL, Galliher JM, Spano MS, et al. J Contin Ed Health Prof. 2008;28(4):220.