Department of Communication, Cornell University, 313 Kennedy Hall, Ithaca, NY 1483, USA.
Sci Eng Ethics. 2012 Dec;18(4):699-717. doi: 10.1007/s11948-011-9264-4. Epub 2011 Feb 19.
Dependence in nanotechnology on external funding and academic-industry relationships has led to questions concerning its influence on research directions, as well as the potential for conflicts of interest to arise and impact scientific integrity and public trust. This study uses a survey of 193 nanotechnology industry and academic researchers to explore whether they share similar concerns. Although these concerns are not unique to nanotechnology, its emerging nature and the prominence of industry funding lend credence to understanding its researchers' views, as these researchers are shaping the norms and direction of the field. The results of the survey show general agreement that funding sources are influencing research directions in nanotechnology; many respondents saw this influence in their own work as well as other researchers' work. Respondents also agreed that funding considerations were likely to influence whether researchers shared their results. Irrespective of their institutional affiliation or funding status, twice as many researchers as not considered financial conflicts of interest a cause for concern, and three times as many respondents as not disagreed financial conflicts of interest in nanotechnology were uncommon. Only a third was satisfied with the way that conflicts of interest are currently managed and believed current procedures would protect the integrity of nanotechnology research. The results also found differences in views depending on researchers' institutional affiliation and funding status.
纳米技术对外部资金和产学研关系的依赖，引发了人们对其影响研究方向的质疑，以及潜在利益冲突的出现，进而影响科学诚信和公众信任。本研究通过对 193 名纳米技术产业和学术研究人员的调查，探讨了他们是否存在类似的担忧。尽管这些担忧并非纳米技术所特有，但由于其新兴性质和产业资金的突出地位，有必要了解研究人员的观点，因为这些研究人员正在塑造该领域的规范和方向。调查结果显示，研究人员普遍认为资金来源正在影响纳米技术的研究方向；许多受访者认为这种影响不仅存在于自己的工作中，也存在于其他研究人员的工作中。受访者还认为，资金考虑因素可能会影响研究人员是否分享他们的研究成果。无论其机构隶属关系或资金状况如何，两倍于不认为财务利益冲突值得关注的研究人员认为财务利益冲突是纳米技术中常见的问题，三倍于不认为财务利益冲突在纳米技术中不常见的受访者认为财务利益冲突在纳米技术中不常见。只有三分之一的人对当前处理利益冲突的方式感到满意，并认为当前的程序将保护纳米技术研究的完整性。研究结果还发现，研究人员的机构隶属关系和资金状况不同，其观点也存在差异。
