Conflict of Interest (COI) Bias refers to a systematic distortion in research, interpretation, or decision-making that arises when an individual or organization has competing interests—often financial—that may influence their objectivity or integrity.

A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as patient welfare or validity of research) may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain, academic promotion, or personal relationships).

• Industry funding of clinical trials
• Authors holding stock or patents related to the intervention studied
• Editorial board members promoting their own research
• Undisclosed consultancy or advisory roles
• Sponsorship of continuing medical education

• Favorable reporting of study outcomes
• Selective outcome reporting
• Underreporting of adverse effects
• Biased interpretation in discussion or conclusions
• Skewed meta-analyses due to sponsored studies

• A neurosurgeon promoting a surgical implant from a company in which they hold equity
• Biased trial results favoring devices produced by the study sponsor
• Conflicted guideline panels issuing weak recommendations based on low-quality evidence

• Full and transparent disclosure of all financial ties
• Independent peer review
• Use of conflict-free guideline panels
• Pre-registration of protocols and outcomes
• Critical appraisal of funding sources in systematic reviews

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• sponsorship_bias
• selective_reporting_bias
• financial_conflict_of_interest