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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Aug 30.
Published in final edited form as: J Law Med Ethics. 2006 Fall;34(3):592–481. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-720x.2006.00073.x

Table 3.

Range of Reactions to Financial Interests

Concern Indifference Acceptance Ambivalence Encouragement
Patent “…Dr. Smith has a monetary interest in it, you know, it’s likely to be biased toward the drug being approved…in a best case scenario, there should be some arm’s length between the primary researchers and whoever stands to benefit.”
“…there’s too much potential for conflict of interest.”		 “That’s life. That’s the way it works”
“Isn’t that the way it all happens?”		 “I don’t have a problem with Dr. Smith receiving money if he discovered it…”
“You know – he’s created it – he has a right to it…”		 “I think it’s an inevitable part of our economic system. But, there’s definitely room for abuse in a situation like that.”
“…that’s kind of a double edged sword.”		 “But also, if you could make a lot of money, let’s face it, at times that could encourage a person to try to make it better.”
“…it could also be an incentive to make him make it better.”
Stock “I do not believe that a doctor owning stock, owning a patent or who might receive great financial compensation for the sales of a particular drug…should be participating…it sounds like a conflict of interest…he shouldn’t own stock in the company and be an investigator.” “…I mean, we live in America… and people can invest where they want to invest…I don’t see ethical problems in it…” “I understand that if they’ve worked hard on something… why can’t they gain financially…but maybe it could be after the fact, not from a direct result of this failing or succeeding during the study.” “So he’s in it for the money, and he’s afraid he’s going to lose, then I think he will put his best foot forward to make this a good drug…to make sure you have the right data on it…”
Consulting “…you have a case here where he is conducting the study, he’s doing the research…But then the company itself, is, you know paying for his additional consulting work, teaching, going to resort locations…I mean it’s almost as if they are trying to influence the results of the study.”
“You have true conflict of interest and you have appearance of conflict of interest…”		 “…getting paid to lecture?…these people are not doing it pro bono…So, to me, it’s just the way things are and it’s not really that big of a deal.”
“…Just because he has lectured or he’s had some fun on that company’s expense on occasion, I don’t see that as a problem.”		 “I have no problem at all… Dr. J’s time is-money. It is worth some-thing… That is the way our economy works.”
“I think that is a doctor’s job, especially in research…”
“She or he should get some compensation.”		 “…it’s a bit of a gray area. I mean, you don’t want to hog-tie the doctors as far as what they can and can’t do, as far as consulting or sharing their knowledge…or scientific expertise…whether or not it should be disclosed-it’s a gray area- not very cut and dry.” “Because of his expertise in this specific area that the drug is supposed to treat…this expertise gives him the right to consult…in my opinion, that would be a good thing.”
“It would be a positive, sure.”
Above Per Capita “I would never participate in a study …I’ve never participated to my knowledge… where the doctor is being compensated for recruitment and enrollment…”
“…that would bother me (because) his incentive is getting patients into the study… …there’s more of a tendency for the physician to lie to get me into the study as opposed to (when) his incentive is to have a successful study…that would bother me more than if he makes $10 billion because the drug works. That doesn’t bother me at all because I want it to work.”		 “It’s fine. Use the extra money for research projects or travel. That’s OK.”
“All that’s none of my business…doesn’t bother me at all.”		 “I think this is a true case… these things could happen any day. It really doesn’t have any affect on me. I would still participate in it.”
“It says the money covers more than the cost of the study. Well, the cost of the study is very broad…there’s a lot that goes into what a doctor has to do.”		 “I just hope all the research, the drug itself in all of these scenarios, that it turns out to be safe and effective treatment for the disease to help mankind. What does that got to do with their money is between them and their conscience. And I think the fact that they’re doctors, hopefully good doctors and drug companies that their main objective is to help.”