Industry-Funded Research Seems to Favor Positive Results

Device trials used in interventional cardiology are more likely to show good outcomes when researchers employed by industry are listed among the publication's authors, a study found.

Although there was no difference in outcomes for device studies with versus without industry-employee authors overall (78.2% versus 78.5%, P=0.09), the subset of papers on randomized trials was more likely to be positive if at least one industry employee was an author (87.8% versus 58.9% for studies with none, relative risk [RR] 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23-1.81).

Industry-employee authors remained associated with positive trial outcomes even after multivariable adjustment (odds ratio [OR] 2.66, 95% CI 1.10-6.40), according to Gioria Weisz, MD, of Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Israel, and colleagues reported online in JAMA Internal Medicine.

On the other hand, disclosing conflicts of interest in a publication was not tied to positive outcomes (P=0.82).

"We found that randomized clinical trials with an industry-employee author were significantly more likely to report favorable study results than were randomized clinical trials without an industry-employee author. These findings add to evidence that industry collaboration is associated with study outcomes," Weisz's group wrote.

They did temper their findings, however, noting that in some cases industry-employee authors may just be honorary investigators "who have not substantially contributed to the design" of a study. In addition, "many industry employees involved in studies may remain uncredited" as well.

But even if "the full nature of the association between industry-employee authors and the published outcomes of clinical trials remains uncertain," the authors suggested that "specific oversight of industry-employee authors, with detailed disclosure of their role in a publication, may be warranted to ensure the reporting of evidence without industry bias."

The investigation by Weisz and colleagues included 357 prospective studies of cardiovascular devices published between 2010 and 2012.

Weisz disclosed relationships with Angioslide, AstraZeneca, Calore, Corindus, Filterlex, Medtronic, Medivisor, M.I. Medical Incentives, Mitrazyme, and Vectorious.

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Industry-Funded Research Seems to Favor Positive Results