Healthy Skepticism Library item: 3205

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Massie BM, Rothenberg D.
Impact of pharmaceutical industry funding of clinical research: results of a survey of antianginal trials
Circulation 1984; 70:390

Abstract:

The role of pharmaceutical industry (PI) sponsorship of clinical research has increased, in part because of declining public sector support. To delineate some of the resulting issues, a questionnaire was mailed to the authors of 91 papers in 8 journals from 1980-82 concerning medical therapy of angina. The response rate was 89%, including 88% (51/58) from the USA. 69% of the studies, and 82% of those from the USA, were funded primarily or in part by the PI, comared to 16%, 8% and 6% by the NIH, VA and AHA, respectively. Although 96% of the responding authors performed the work at least in part because of interest in the study, only 45% would have done so without PI funding. The funds generated were also used to support other clinical projects (50%), other personnel (38%), basic research (36%), training (35%), and other activities (40%). Of note, is that 40% of the articles were included in symposia sponsored by the PI; at least 45% of these were not subject to the journals’ usual review process. These findings document a high prevalence of PI funding and suggest that it may influence the type of research conducted and the process of scientific communication. We conclude that there is both considerable potential for abuse and benefit from PI research support, and that its impact should be monitored.

Keywords:
*abstract/*analytic survey/drug company sponsored research/journal supplements/quality of information/publication bias/scientific publications/PROMOTION DISGUISED: JOURNAL SUPPLEMENTS, CONTROLLED CIRCULATION JOURNALS AND NEWSLETTERS/SPONSORSHIP: RESEARCH