Conflicts of Interest in Medicine: A Veterinary Example

Abstract

In health care, professionals may find themselves at risk of abusing their powers by neglecting the interests of their clients. In particular, a conflict of interest can arise when the practitioner focuses on a secondary interest, such as his own financial gain, at the expense of a primary interest or professional responsibility, such as the interest of the patient. This case study, inspired by a true story in veterinary medicine, illustrates the ethical problem by which high-tech interventions are used in practice, even if their use is not necessarily in the client’s best interest.