Evidence map›Paper›PMID 14970094›Full record

ArticleCMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne2004

Association between industry funding and statistically significant pro-industry findings in medical and surgical randomized trials.

Mohit Bhandari, Jason W Busse, Dianne Jackowski, Victor M Montori, Holger Schünemann, Sheila Sprague, Derek Mears, Emil H Schemitsch, Dianne Heels-Ansdell, P J Devereaux

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne, 2004. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 168 papers, 47 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
168citing papers in PubMed, 47 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

168 citing papers in PubMed, 47 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  7. Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids for dry eye disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019
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  8. Antidepressants plus benzodiazepines for adults with major depression.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019
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  9. Benzodiazepines versus placebo for panic disorder in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019
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  11. Pharmacological interventions for apathy in Alzheimer's disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
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  12. Antidepressants versus placebo for panic disorder in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
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  14. Certolizumab pegol (CDP870) for rheumatoid arthritis in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017
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  15. Industry sponsorship and research outcome.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017
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  17. Polyurethane on titanium unconstrained disc arthroplasty versus anterior discectomy and fusion for the treatment of cervical disc disease: a review of level I-II randomized clinical trials including clinical outcomes.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2015
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  18. Electromagnetic therapy for treating venous leg ulcers.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015
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  20. Azapirones versus placebo for panic disorder in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2014
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108 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Mohit BhandariDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. bhandari@sympatico.ca
Jason W Busse
Dianne Jackowski
Victor M Montori
Holger Schünemann
Sheila Sprague
Derek Mears
Emil H Schemitsch
Dianne Heels-Ansdell
P J Devereaux

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundConflicting reports exist in the medical literature regarding the association between industry funding and published research findings. In this study, we examine the association between industry funding and the statistical significance of results in recently published medical and surgical trials.

methodsWe examined a consecutive series of 332 randomized trials published between January 1999 and June 2001 in 8 leading surgical journals and 5 medical journals. Each eligible study was independently reviewed for methodological quality using a 21-point index with 5 domains: randomization, outcomes, eligibility criteria, interventions and statistical issues. Our primary analysis included studies that explicitly identified the primary outcome and reported it as statistically significant. For studies that did not explicitly identify a primary outcome, we defined a "positive" study as one with at least 1 statistically significant outcome measure. We used multivariable regression analysis to determine whether there was an association between reported industry funding and trial results, while controlling for study quality and sample size.

resultsAmong the 332 randomized trials, there were 158 drug trials, 87 surgical trials and 87 trials of other therapies. In 122 (37%) of the trials, authors declared industry funding. An unadjusted analysis of this sample of trials revealed that industry funding was associated with a statistically significant result in favour of the new industry product (odds ratio [OR] 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-3.5). The association remained significant after adjustment for study quality and sample size (adjusted OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.0). There was a nonsignificant difference between surgical trials (OR 8.0, 95% CI 1.1-53.2) and drug trials (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.8), both of which were likely to have a pro-industry result (relative OR 5.0, 95% CI 0.7-37.5, p = 0.14).

interpretationIndustry-funded trials are more likely to be associated with statistically significant pro-industry findings, both in medical trials and surgical interventions.

Indexed as

Conflict of InterestPublication BiasResearch Support as TopicDisclosureDrug IndustryGeneral SurgeryHumansMedicineRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicBiomedical and Behavioral ResearchEmpirical Approach

Identifiers

PMID14970094
PMCPMC332713

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.