In principle, those being accused of a conflict of interest in the creation of DSM-5 could argue that, because the DSM is science-based, it's open to impartial

In principle, those being accused of a conflict of interest in the creation of DSM-5 could argue that, because the DSM is science-based, it's open to impartial statistical analyses and comparison with established scientific theory that would render moot any such accusation. But the accused can't offer that defense, because the DSM is not based in science, and that in turn is because because human psychology isn't based in science. The field of human psychology includes many scientific studies, some of them excellent, up to the point where a testable, falsifiable theory might be crafted based on those studies, but it stops there. Here's why: For a study to be regarded as science, it must meet certain established standards, and many psychology studies meet or exceed those standards. But for a field to be regarded as science, its practitioners must craft testable, falsifiable theories, based on natural phenomena, about their topic of study. Human psychology cannot do this, for the simple reason that human psychology studies the mind, and the mind is not part of nature. In scientific fields, physics for example, a conflict-of-interest accusation is easily resolved: either a claim can be tested and potentially falsified by comparison with the field's defining theories, or it cannot (cold fusion comes to mind). But in psychology this doesn't work, because a claim cannot be compared to the field's testable, falsifiable scientific theories, theories that define the field, because ... wait for it ... such theories don't exist. And how could such theories exist? Again, human psychology studies the mind, legitimate science must focus on natural (not supernatural) phenomena, and the mind doesn't meet that description -- it's not part of nature. Neuroscience doesn't have these structural problems, it may someday replace psychology, but we're not there yet, and may not be for decades to come.