Addressing conflicts of interest: evidence review and recommendations

Background More stringent policies for addressing conflicts of interest have been implemented around the world in recent years. Considering the value of revisiting conflict of interest quality standards set by the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS) Collaboration, we sought to review evidence relevant to two questions: (i) What are the effects of different strategies for managing conflicts of interest? and (ii) What are patients’ perspectives on conflicts of interest? Methods We conducted a narrative review of English language articles and abstracts from 2010 to 2019 that reported relevant quantitative or qualitative research. Results Of 1,743 articles and 118 abstracts identified, 41 articles and 2 abstracts were included. Most evidence on the effects of conflict of interest management strategies pertained only to subsequent compliance with the management strategy. This evidence highlighted substantial non-compliance with prevailing requirements. Evidence on patient perspectives on conflicts of interest offered several insights, including the existence of diverse views on the acceptability of conflicts of interest, the salience of conflict of interest type and monetary value to patients, and the possibility that conflict of interest disclosure could have unintended effects. We identified no published research on the effects of IPDAS Collaboration conflict of interest quality standards on patient decision-making or outcomes. Limitations Because we did not conduct a systematic review, we may have missed some evidence relevant to our review questions. Additionally, our team did not include patient partners. Conclusions The findings of this review have implications for the management of conflicts of interest not only in patient decision aid development but also in clinical practice guideline development, health and medical research reporting, and health care delivery