Conflicts of interest in NCD prevention: an issue for medical and public health leaders in the Middle East?

Medical conflicts of interests: We are all familiar with the need for our clinical judgement to be unbiased by vested interests. In this regard, the Unites States Food and Drug Administration now refuses to allow any doctors to be part of their review panels if they have had any financial support from a commercial company. The Swedish and more recently the Indian governments threaten doctors with the loss of their legal right to practice if they attend meetings sponsored by a company with financial interests in their field.