Industry-sponsored research in developing countries

Abstract

Background Industry has become an important source of funding for clinical research; guidelines governing the relationship between industry and medical institutions are not clear in developing countries and hence we wanted to test attitudes and practices in those countries and compare them to developed countries. We conducted a survey amongst medical practitioners in developed and Arab countries representing developing countries, in order to document their views towards industry-sponsored research and their actual practice in this regard. Methods A structured questionnaire was distributed by email, mail and through personal contacts. The questionnaire included information on characteristics of the practitioners involved, their attitudes towards industry-sponsored research and their actual practices. The questionnaire was distributed to 510 medical practitioners of countries in both groups. Practitioners representing developed countries were from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Those representing developing countries included Arab countries from Asia and Africa. Results We found that there were contrasting views and practices between the two groups although more than 80% in both groups agreed that industry-sponsored research is necessary. 69.7% of respondents in developed countries participated in industry-sponsored research while only 30.1% did so in developing countries. Guidelines governing such research were better adhered to in developed countries than in developing countries. Where there were no authors who were not part of investigators in developed countries, 16.3% of industry-sponsored research in developing countries included authors who were not part of the investigators. Research ethics committees were present in 94% and 58% of institutions in developed and developing countries respectively. Review bodies were available in 57% and 41% in developed and developing countries. Conclusions Industry-sponsored research is necessary; it is much more common in developed countries. Clear guidelines governing industry-sponsored research should be adopted in developing countries, including the establishment of research ethics committees and review bodies to monitor such research.