Dataset Information

The Effect of Financial Conflict of Interest, Disclosure Status, and Relevance on Medical Research from the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Financial interactions between industry and healthcare providers are reportable. Substantial discrepancies have been detected between industry and self-report of these conflicts of interest (COIs).

Objective

Our aim was to determine if authors who fail to disclose reportable COI are more likely to publish findings that are favorable to industry than authors with no COI.

Design

In this blinded, observational study of medical and surgical primary research articles in PubMed, 590 articles were reviewed.

Main measures

Reportable financial relationships between authors and industry were evaluated. COIs were considered to have relevance if they were associated with the product(s) mentioned by an article. Primary outcome was favorability, defined as an impression favorable to the product(s) discussed by an article and determined by 3 independent, blinded clinicians for each article. Primary analysis compared Incomplete Self-Disclosure to No COI. Two-level multivariable mixed-effects ordered logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with favorability.

Key results

A 69% discordance rate existed between industry and self-report in COI disclosure. When authors failed to disclose COI, their conclusions were more likely to favor industry partners than authors without COI (favorable ratings 73% versus 62%, RR 1.18, p?=?<?0.001). On univariate (any COI 74% versus no COI 62%, RR 1.11, p?=?<?0.001) and multivariable analyses, any COI was associated with favorability.

Conclusions

All financial COIs (disclosed or undisclosed, relevant or not relevant, research or non-research) influence whether studies report findings favorable to industry sponsors.

SUBMITTER: Cherla DV

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6420588 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

The Effect of Financial Conflict of Interest, Disclosure Status, and Relevance on Medical Research from the United States.

Cherla Deepa V DV Viso Cristina P CP Holihan Julie L JL Bernardi Karla K Moses Maya L ML Mueck Krislynn M KM Olavarria Oscar A OA Flores-Gonzalez Juan R JR Balentine Courtney J CJ Ko Tien C TC Adams Sasha D SD Pedroza Claudia C Kao Lillian S LS Liang Mike K MK

Journal of general internal medicine 20190102 3

<h4>Background</h4>Financial interactions between industry and healthcare providers are reportable. Substantial discrepancies have been detected between industry and self-report of these conflicts of interest (COIs).<h4>Objective</h4>Our aim was to determine if authors who fail to disclose reportable COI are more likely to publish findings that are favorable to industry than authors with no COI.<h4>Design</h4>In this blinded, observational study of medical and surgical primary research articles ...[more]

PMID: 30604124

Similar Datasets

Project description:ObjectiveWe undertook this investigation to characterize conflict of interest (COI) policies of biomedical journals with respect to authors, peer-reviewers, and editors, and to ascertain what information about COI disclosures is publicly available.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of 135 editors of peer-reviewed biomedical journals that publish original research. We chose an international selection of general and specialty medical journals that publish in English. Selection was based on journal impact factor, and the recommendations of experts in the field. We developed and pilot tested a 3-part web-based survey. The survey included questions about the presence of specific policies for authors, peer-reviewers, and editors, specific restrictions on authors, peer-reviewers, and editors based on COI, and the public availability of these disclosures. Editors were contacted a minimum of 3 times.ResultsThe response rate for the survey was 91 (67%) of 135, and 85 (93%) of 91 journals reported having an author COI policy. Ten (11%) journals reported that they restrict author submissions based on COI (e.g., drug company authors' papers on their products are not accepted). While 77% report collecting COI information on all author submissions, only 57% publish all author disclosures. A minority of journals report having a specific policy on peer-reviewer 46% (42/91) or editor COI 40% (36/91); among these, 25% and 31% of journals state that they require recusal of peer-reviewers and editors if they report a COI. Only 3% of respondents publish COI disclosures of peer-reviewers, and 12% publish editor COI disclosures, while 11% and 24%, respectively, reported that this information is available upon request.ConclusionMany more journals have a policy regarding COI for authors than they do for peer-reviewers or editors. Even author COI policies are variable, depending on the type of manuscript submitted. The COI information that is collected by journals is often not published; the extent to which such "secret disclosure" may impact the integrity of the journal or the published work is not known.

Dataset Information

The Effect of Financial Conflict of Interest, Disclosure Status, and Relevance on Medical Research from the United States.

Background

Objective

Design

Main measures

Key results

Conclusions

Publications

The Effect of Financial Conflict of Interest, Disclosure Status, and Relevance on Medical Research from the United States.

Similar Datasets

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