[a4isms]

The author is discussing facts and providing replicable results. Disclosing their "conflict of interest" more clearly would be laudable, but even if they lied to us and pretended to be an independent journalist, that might sway our opinion of their character, but it would have no effect on the veracity of their writing.

What they say can be classified in three categories: Objectively right, objectively wrong, or subjective claims. Their conflict of interest only affects our evaluation of subjective claims.

Things that can be assessed as right are right even if they were said by Vladimir Putin; things that can be assessed as wrong are wrong even if they were said by Florence Nightingale. It is an ad hominem appeal to motive to suggest otherwise.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_motive