Industry-sponsored research

Abstract

I wonder about the effect of unpublished industry-funded research on the balanced research view of questions in medicine. This feature was not clearly discussed by Scott Halpern and colleagues' and Reto Nuesch and Thoman Dieterle's responses (Dec 23/30, p 2193)1Halpern S Karlawish J for the University of Pennsylvania Research Ethics Working GroupIndustry-sponsored research.Lancet. 2000; 356: 2193Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Google Scholar, 2Nuesch R Dieterle T Industry-sponsored research.Lancet. 2000; 356: 2193Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar to the report of Benjamin Djulbegovich and colleagues (Aug 19, p 635).3Djulbegovic B Lacevic M Cantor A et al.The uncertainty principle and industry sponsored research.Lancet. 2000; 356: 635-638Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (402) Google ScholarAt a local gathering of family physicians and consultants just before Christmas, 2000, we were discussing industry-sponsored research. Several consultants informed me that when they read the contracts given to them by drug companies for funding of certain research projects, there often was a clause that the decision as to whether the research could be submitted for publication or not lay solely with the drug company. They said that this lack of freedom led them to decline involvement with such research. However, these consultants were not at a time in their career when they needed to try and get publications.This information raises some serious concerns for me as a family physician, because much published research already seems a little questionable. However, if there is unpublished research tucked up in the vaults of drug companies (presumably because the research did not show what the drug company wanted), then should any research funded by drug companies be used in any reviews or guidelines?We will never know how big an issue this is, but being a patient and a doctor I hope it is only small. I wonder about the effect of unpublished industry-funded research on the balanced research view of questions in medicine. This feature was not clearly discussed by Scott Halpern and colleagues' and Reto Nuesch and Thoman Dieterle's responses (Dec 23/30, p 2193)1Halpern S Karlawish J for the University of Pennsylvania Research Ethics Working GroupIndustry-sponsored research.Lancet. 2000; 356: 2193Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Google Scholar, 2Nuesch R Dieterle T Industry-sponsored research.Lancet. 2000; 356: 2193Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar to the report of Benjamin Djulbegovich and colleagues (Aug 19, p 635).3Djulbegovic B Lacevic M Cantor A et al.The uncertainty principle and industry sponsored research.Lancet. 2000; 356: 635-638Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (402) Google Scholar At a local gathering of family physicians and consultants just before Christmas, 2000, we were discussing industry-sponsored research. Several consultants informed me that when they read the contracts given to them by drug companies for funding of certain research projects, there often was a clause that the decision as to whether the research could be submitted for publication or not lay solely with the drug company. They said that this lack of freedom led them to decline involvement with such research. However, these consultants were not at a time in their career when they needed to try and get publications. This information raises some serious concerns for me as a family physician, because much published research already seems a little questionable. However, if there is unpublished research tucked up in the vaults of drug companies (presumably because the research did not show what the drug company wanted), then should any research funded by drug companies be used in any reviews or guidelines? We will never know how big an issue this is, but being a patient and a doctor I hope it is only small.