What represents a conflict of interest for those who write studies about tobacco control? Some people would think that being a professional 'secondhand smoke consultant', receiving money from the makers of nicotine replacement drugs or being a member of a hardcore anti-smoking group would be worth mentioning if the individual is working on research that might lead to legislation.
In practise, such interests are rarely mentioned as potential sources of financial or emotional bias. Dr Kamal Chaouachi has taken a very different approach in his recent study published in Medical Hypotheses. Instead of simply saying 'no conflict of interest', Chaouachi has opted for full disclosure, including all those Big Pharma ties that others overlook. In doing so, he hints at what a full conflict of interest statement might look like if those working in tobacco control went to the same trouble.
