The Forgotten Conflict of Interest in Modern Science. Reference Materials

Abstract

Why researchers, funded on the decision of government officials and promoting advice to entrust the Government more power and to give the Government more funds, never report conflict of interest? Materials collected and presented below provide some explanations for this phenomenon (‘They never declare …’ etc.). While researchers funded by business, by industry usually report only to the firm which hired them, academic researchers publish the papers in the Journals. So, the distinction between business funding of R&D which dominates in general funding of R&D in the leading countries and academic research, funded mainly by the government, is crucial (R&D funding Structure). Elected and, especially, unelected officials’ power could become a conclusive argument for Big Business not just to comply with the rules imposed on them but to advance ‘in own name’ Big Government agenda (Big Business, standing with and for the Big Government).

Keywords: Conflict of Interest, R&D funding structure, Big Government agenda

JEL Classification: H51, H52, I15, I23, D72