Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28982811›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2017

Characteristics of funding of clinical trials: cross-sectional survey and proposed guidance.

Maram B Hakoum, Nahla Jouni, Eliane A Abou-Jaoude, Divina Justina Hasbani, Elias A Abou-Jaoude, Luciane Cruz Lopes, Mariam Khaldieh, Mira Zein Hammoud, Mounir Al-Gibbawi, Sirine Anouti and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
9.1field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
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

27 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 72 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The future of surgical research.The British journal of surgery · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 6 institutions in 4 countries.

Maram B HakoumClinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0105-1937
Nahla JouniFaculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Eliane A Abou-JaoudeDepartment of Internal Medicine, University at Buffalo - The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Divina Justina HasbaniFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Elias A Abou-JaoudeThe State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Luciane Cruz LopesGraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sorocaba, Brazil, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3684-3275
Mariam KhaldiehFaculty of Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Mira Zein HammoudDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Mounir Al-GibbawiFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Sirine AnoutiDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Gordon GuyattDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Elie A AklClinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
American University of Beirut · LBAmerican University of Beirut Medical Center · LBUniversity at Buffalo, State University of New York · USImpact · CAMassachusetts General Hospital · USUniversidade de Sorocaba · BR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo provide a detailed and current characterisation of funding of a representative sample clinical trials. We also aimed to develop guidance for standardised reporting of funding information.

methodsWe addressed the extent to which clinical trials published in 2015 in any of the 119 Core Clinical Journals included a statement on the funding source (eg, whether a not-for-profit organisation was supported by a private-for-profit organisation), type of funding, amount and role of funder. We used a stepwise approach to develop a guidance and an instrument for standardised reporting of funding information.

resultsOf 200 trials, 178 (89%) included a funding statement, of which 171 (96%) reported being funded. Funding statements in the 171 funded trials indicated the source in 100%, amount in 1% and roles of funders in 50%. The most frequent sources were governmental (58%) and private-for-profit (40%). Of 54 funding statements in which the source was a not-for-profit organisation, we found evidence of undisclosed support of those from private-for-profit organisation(s) in 26 (48%). The most frequently reported roles of funders in the 171 funded trials related to study design (42%) and data analysis, interpretation or management (41%). Of 139 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) addressing pharmacological or surgical interventions, 29 (21%) reported information on the supplier of the medication or device. The proposed guidance addresses both the funding information that RCTs should report and the reporting process. Attached to the guidance is a fillable PDF document for use as an instrument for standardised reporting of funding information.

conclusionAlthough the majority of RCTs report funding, there is considerable variability in the reporting of funding source, amount and roles of funders. A standardised approach to reporting of funding information would address these limitations. Future research should explore the implications of funding by not-for-profit organisations that are supported by for-profit organisations.

Indexed as

Research Support as TopicCross-Sectional StudiesGuidelines as TopicHumansLogistic ModelsMultivariate AnalysisRandomized Controlled Trials as Topicfundingrandomised controlled trialrole of funder

Identifiers

PMID28982811
PMCPMC5639984
OpenAlexW2761119346

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.