In January, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommended a new “Uniform Format for Disclosure of Competing Interests in ICMJE Journals,” according to an editorial in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Authors of the editorial noted important progress in this area specifically because “disclosure of financial associations of authors of articles published in biomedical journals has become common practice.” They added further that the information authors provide “in these disclosures helps the reader to understand the relationships between the authors and various commercial entities that may have an interest in the information reported in the published article.” This kind of information is typically conveyed using a form that journals present to authors to complete.
Accordingly, the editorial notes that while efforts are underway to “establish uniform reporting systems, there is currently no uniform vehicle for the disclosure of financial associations.” As a result, the authors “introduce a new disclosure form that has been adopted by all journals that are members of the ICMJE.” Moreover, the editorial asks authors to disclose 4 types of information:
The authors associations with commercial entities that provided support for the work reported in the submitted manuscript (the time frame for disclosure in this section of the form is the life span of the work being reported);
The authors associations with commercial entities that could be viewed as having an interest in the general area of the submitted manuscript (the time frame for disclosure in this section is the 36 months before submission of the manuscript);
Any similar financial associations involving their spouse or their children under 18 years of age; and Nonfinancial associations that may be relevant to the submitted manuscript.
The form, which is now posted on the ICMJE Web site (click here), includes instructions to help authors provide the information, and a sample completed form is also available (click here). It was also noted that authors can complete the form and upload it to the Web site of the journal that has requested the information. The editorial believes this will make the process of disclosure “uniform and easy.”
It was noted however, that certain information about authors relationships with entities that could be viewed as having interests that compete with the research being reported, “will be left to the discretion of the journal.”
ICJME also acknowledged the possibility of confusion and errors, and regarded the period from publication of the editorial (January 17, 2010) until 10 April 2010, as a period of beta testing. In response to this period, authors are encouraged to let ICJME know about problems that arise with the form and to send their comments by using the comments feature at the home page of the ICMJE Web site. After comments are collected, the ICMJE will meet in late April 2010 to adapt the form to address concerns identified by users.
While ICMJE’s adoption of a uniform format to make the process of disclosure of competing interests easier for authors and less confusing for readers is noble, there must be equal focus on how the information from disclosures is used.
If media sources unfairly use payment, political or religious affiliation information to declare conflicts that are merely potential, and not real, it will only harm industry-physician collaboration, which will ultimately hurt patients.