What is Considered a Conflict of Interest or What to Disclose in Lectures and Publications?

Abstract

Recently our Journal was criticized for allowing a co-author to submit and publish a technical paper when said surgeon is involved in a litigation matter. “I am very surprised indeed that you do not consider being a defendant in legal action concerning the very practice being defended in an article amounts to a conflict of interest.” This made me think it might be an appropriate time to revisit this issue. First I think it is important to understand some of the history regarding disclosure and conflict of interest.