Competing interests
Authors: S. J Senn
Journal: BMJ (2003)

# Consent was not obtained {#article-title-2} EDITOR—So, the editor of the BMJ is happy to coauthor research involving undeclared deception of subjects and publish it in his journal.1 Three hundred readers were unwitting dupes. They took part without being informed what the real object of the exercise was, no informed consent here, at least not by the standard of being willing to show the subject the research protocol. This sort of research violates Kant's categorical imperative—act as if this were a universal principle. It seeks payment in a coin that it debases for others.2 BMJ readers should be warned: next time a researcher contacts you for an opinion, it is probably a hoax. What is ironic about the paper is that the results have meaning only if the respondents were more honest than the authors. My warning to researchers is as follows: if you deceive your subjects what right have you to expect they will not do the same to you?3 1. 1.↵1. Chaudhry S, 2. Schroter S, 3. Smith R, 4. Morris J . Does declaration of competing interests affect readers' perceptions? A randomised trial. BMJ 2002; 325: 1391–1392 [OpenUrl][1][FREE Full Text][2] 2. 2.↵1. Senn SJ . The ignoble lie. J Clin Epidemiol 1992; 45: 1338–1339 [OpenUrl][3][PubMed][4] 3. 3.↵1. Senn SJ . Are placebo run-ins justified? BMJ 1997; 314: 1191 [OpenUrl][5][FREE Full Text][6] # Problem is greater than editorial indicates {#article-title-6} EDITOR—The BMJ should … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft.stitle%253DBMJ%26rft.issn%253D0007-1447%26rft.aulast%253DChaudhry%26rft.auinit1%253DS.%26rft.volume%253D325%26rft.issue%253D7377%26rft.spage%253D1391%26rft.epage%253D1392%26rft.atitle%253DDoes%2Bdeclaration%2Bof%2Bcompeting%2Binterests%2Baffect%2Breaders%2527%2Bperceptions%253F%2BA%2Brandomised%2Btrial%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1136%252Fbmj.325.7377.1391%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F12480854%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=FULL&journalCode=bmj&resid=325/7377/1391&atom=%2Fbmj%2F326%2F7394%2F883.1.atom [3]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJournal%2Bof%2Bclinical%2Bepidemiology%26rft.stitle%253DJ%2BClin%2BEpidemiol%26rft.aulast%253DSenn%26rft.auinit1%253DS.%26rft.volume%253D45%26rft.issue%253D11%26rft.spage%253D1338%26rft.epage%253D1340%26rft.atitle%253DThe%2Bignoble%2Blie.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F1308668%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=1308668&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fbmj%2F326%2F7394%2F883.1.atom [5]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft.stitle%253DBMJ%26rft.issn%253D0007-1447%26rft.aulast%253DSenn%26rft.auinit1%253DS.%26rft.volume%253D314%26rft.issue%253D7088%26rft.spage%253D1191%26rft.epage%253D1191%26rft.atitle%253DAre%2Bplacebo%2Brun%2Bins%2Bjustified%253F%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F9146400%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [6]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=FULL&journalCode=bmj&resid=314/7088/1191&atom=%2Fbmj%2F326%2F7394%2F883.1.atom