If a conflict of interest is identified in the review process, what is the recommended course of action?

• A. Proceed with the review as usual.
• B. Disclose the conflict to relevant parties and proceed.
• C. Recuse from the decision and seek unbiased input.
• D. Ignore the issue.

Answer: (C)

Safeguarding objectivity requires stepping away from the decision when a conflict of interest is identified and ensuring an unbiased evaluation takes place. Recusing from the decision means you remove yourself from the deliberations because your involvement could influence outcomes or create the appearance of bias. After stepping back, the matter should be handled by someone without a conflicting interest—an independent reviewer or panel—to provide an impartial assessment. Merely disclosing the conflict and proceeding still leaves room for bias in perception, and proceeding as usual or ignoring the issue would compromise fairness and trust. The aim is to eliminate the influence of the conflict by getting unbiased input.