Induced Research: A New Challenge in the Field of Research in Developing Countries

Dear Editor,

The significant increase in research activities and the dramatic growth of research projects and medical sciences research have rendered the issue of research ethics even more important. Conflicts of interest are one of the major debates regarding research ethics, which may be material (tangible) or immaterial. Although conflicts of material interests have received more attention in recent years, conflicts of interests in both forms negatively impact the performance of researchers and the results of their studies, thereby leading to the publication of low-quality and biased articles (1-3). This article aimed to discuss the culture created in some organizations and universities based on which conducting some studies is imposed on the organization through formal and informal communications. In other words, some researchers attempt to obtain financial and non-financial resources by sensitizing and persuading managers to conduct a specific study.

In their meetings with managers and policymakers, researchers and scholars of different fields make an effort to convince these authorities to allow the conduction of a specific study in their field or exaggerate the issues/challenges of their field for managers and policymakers. As a result, they receive the necessary fund for their research. On the other hand, managers and policymakers assume that the research would help solve an important part of the organization's problems. However, the reality is different. Based on the issue of ‘induced demand’, physicians may influence patient care decision-making due to their high medical knowledge. Induced demand refers to the sale and provision of unnecessary, additional health services to patients. It is a complex multifactorial phenomenon, which causes a waste of time and increases treatment costs without positively affecting the patient recovery process. Furthermore, induced demand causes complications in patients and delays their treatment process, thereby decreasing the efficacy of health services and trust in physicians. Due to information asymmetry in the field of medical services, the same issue has been observed in the field of research, giving rise to the phenomenon of ‘induced research’, which is often imposed on managers of organizations and universities by researchers and requires the special attention of managers and decision makers. Induced research is associated with material and immaterial conflicts, which further emphasize the importance of the issue.

In this article, the phenomenon has been considered for the first time, and it seems that serious measures are required in this regard. Conflicts of interest have different dimensions and represent a complex issue. Therefore, it is not possible to find a simple solution. In addition to transparency, providing accurate and specific research programs and using systems such as the environmental scanning system to identify the challenges and real issues could help determine the main problems of any organization. Therefore, recognizing such phenomena is critical for managers and researchers so that efficient and effective research could be conducted. Finally, the results of previous studies could be used to solve real organizational and community problems.