What adolescents enrolled in genomic addiction research want to know about conflicts of interest

• Study surveyed views of 273 adolescents enrolled in genomic addiction research.
• Participants were patients in treatment for substance/conduct problems and controls.
• All answered a survey on researcher conflicts of interest and the impact on trust.
• Participants (73.3% patients, 62.6% controls) wanted/might want to know about COIs.
• Most participants reported that disclosure would not undermine trust in researchers.

BackgroundPerspectives of adolescent research participants regarding conflicts of interest (COIs) and their impact on trust in researchers have not been studied. This study evaluates views of adolescent patients in treatment for substance and conduct problems compared to controls enrolled in genomic addiction research.MethodsParticipants included 273 (190 patients, 83 controls) adolescents. Participants consented or assented (with parental consent) to have their genomic information deposited in a NIH biobank that shares information globally with qualified investigators. As part of that study, participants completed a COI survey. Endorsement of each COI item was analyzed with multiple logistic regressions, evaluating group, age, sex, ethnicity, and highest grade completed.ResultsPatients and controls differed in gender, ethnicity and highest grade completed. In response to the survey, 38.4% of patients and 25.3% of controls “want to know” and 35.3% of patients and 37.3% of controls “might want to know” about COIs. Males were less likely to want/might want disclosure about COIs. Older patients were more likely to want disclosure about financial interests; patients were more likely to want disclosure about possible treatments; males were more likely to want information about monetary gains. Both groups requested between 1 paragraph and 1 page of information. Disclosure of COIs did not impact trust for most participants.ConclusionAdolescent patients and controls in this study want comparable information for disclosure of COIs including monetary gains, salary, publications, grants, and professional awards. Notably, the majority of patients and controls report that disclosure will not undermine trust in researchers.