The DOI matches its Crossref record; 77 of the 81 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Pharmaceutical industry sponsorship and research outcome and quality: systematic review
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether funding of drug studies by the pharmaceutical industry is associated with outcomes that are favourable to the funder and whether the methods of trials funded by pharmaceutical companies differ from the methods in trials with other sources of support. METHODS: Medline (January 1966 to December 2002) and Embase (January 1980 to December 2002) searches were supplemented with material identified in the references and in the authors' personal files. Data were independently abstracted by three of the authors and disagreements were resolved by consensus. RESULTS: 30 studies were included. Research funded by drug companies was less likely to be published than research funded by other sources. Studies sponsored by pharmaceutical companies were more likely to have outcomes favouring the sponsor than were studies with other sponsors (odds ratio 4.05; 95% confidence interval 2.98 to 5.51; 18 comparisons). None of the 13 studies that analysed methods reported that studies funded by industry was of poorer quality. CONCLUSION: Systematic bias favours products which are made by the company funding the research. Explanations include the selection of an inappropriate comparator to the product being investigated and publication bias.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“pharmaceutical companies, who fund a substantial number of RCTs, are more likely to seek publication of results with statistically positive outcomes. 9”
From Reporting research results: a moral obligation for all researchers. (2007) · cites this paper as [9]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe cited source says what the claim attributes to it.
In the citing paper
“Several investigations show strong associations between the source of funding and the conclusions of research articles [ 219 – 222 ].”
From Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE): Explanation and Elaboration (2007) · cites this paper as [222]
The cited source says what the claim attributes to it.
In the citing paper
“Empirical evidence points toward funding source sometimes being associated with estimated treatment effects [30].”
From CONSORT 2010 statement: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials (2010) · cites this paper as [30]
The cited source says what the claim attributes to it.
In the citing paper
“For example, bias, as indicated by a prevalence of more favourable outcomes, has been demonstrated for clinical research funded by industry compared with studies funded by other sources [257–259].”
From Reporting animal research: Explanation and elaboration for the ARRIVE guidelines 2.0 (2020) · cites this paper as [259]
In the citing paper
“Additionally, different outcomes from the same trials can be a source of pharmaceutical marketing bias.35”
In the citing paper
“Lexchin and colleagues [166] observed that outcomes of reports of randomized trials and meta-analyses of clinical trials funded by the pharmaceutical industry are more likely to favor the sponsor's product compared to studies with other sources of funding.”
From The PRISMA Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Studies That Evaluate Health Care Interventions: Explanation and Elaboration (2009) · cites this paper as [166]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
The Revised CONSORT Statement for Reporting Randomized Trials: Explanation and Elaboration
Altman, D. G., Schulz, K. F., Moher, D., Egger, M., Davidoff, F., Elbourne, D., Gøtzsche, P. C., Lang, T., & for the CONSORT Group (2001) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-134-8-200104170-00012 · Cited by 3,835
Moher, D., Pham, B., Jones, A., Cook, D. J., Jadad, A. R., Moher, M., Tugwell, P., & Klassen, T. P. (1998) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(98)01085-x · Cited by 3,560
Publication bias in clinical research
Easterbrook, P. J., Gopalan, R., Berlin, J. A., & Matthews, D. R. (1991) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/0140-6736(91)90201-y · Cited by 3,109
Moher, D. (2001) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.285.15.1987 · Cited by 2,545
Hennekens, C. H., Buring, J. E., & Mayrent, S. L. (1987) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 2,319
The Hazards of Scoring the Quality of Clinical Trials for Meta-analysis
Jüni, P. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.282.11.1054 · Cited by 1,981
(1988) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-108-2-316_4 · Cited by 1,938
Scope and Impact of Financial Conflicts of Interest in Biomedical Research: A Systematic Review
Bekelman, J. E., Li, Y., & Gross, C. P. (2003) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.289.4.454 · Cited by 1,816
Moher, D., Schulz, K. F., Altman, D. G., & for the CONSORT Group* (2001) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-134-8-200104170-00011 · Cited by 1,426
Factors Influencing Publication of Research Results
Dickersin, K. (1992) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.1992.03480030052036 · Cited by 931
Publication bias: evidence of delayed publication in a cohort study of clinical research projects
Stern, J. M., & Simes, R. J. (1997) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.315.7109.640 · Cited by 818
Publication bias: the case for an international registry of clinical trials.
Simes, R. J. (1986) · Journal of Clinical Oncology · doi:10.1200/jco.1986.4.10.1529 · Cited by 747
Als-Nielsen, B., Chen, W., Gluud, C., & Kjaergard, L. L. (2003) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.290.7.921 · Cited by 746
Underreporting Research Is Scientific Misconduct
Chalmers, I. (1990) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.263.10.1405 · Cited by 640
Ioannidis, J. P. A. (1998) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.279.4.281 · Cited by 632
Bhandari, M., Busse, J. W., Jackowski, D., Montori, V. M., Schünemann, H. J., Sprague, S., Mears, D., Schemitsch, E. H., Heels-Ansdell, D., & Devereaux, P. J. (2004) · Europe PMC (PubMed Central) · Cited by 550
The uncertainty principle and industry-sponsored research
Djulbegović, B., Lacevic, M., Cantor, A. B., Fields, K. K., Bennett, C. L., Adams, J. R., Kuderer, N. M., & Lyman, G. H. (2000) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(00)02605-2 · Cited by 485
Evaluation of Conflict of Interest in Economic Analyses of New Drugs Used in Oncology
Friedberg, M. W. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.282.15.1453 · Cited by 474
Third generation oral contraceptives and risk of venous thrombosis: meta-analysis
Kemmeren, J. M., Algra, A., & Grobbee, D. E. (2001) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7305.131 · Cited by 451
Relation between agendas of the research community and the research consumer
Tallon, D., Chard, J., & Dieppe, P. A. (2000) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(00)02351-5 · Cited by 437
Sponsorship, Authorship, and Accountability
Davidoff, F. (2001) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmed20010093 · Cited by 412
Source of funding and outcome of clinical trials
Davidson, R. A. (1986) · Journal of General Internal Medicine · doi:10.1007/bf02602327 · Cited by 397
Moher, D., Cook, Jadad, Tugwell, P., Moher, Jones, Pham, & Klassen (1999) · Health Technology Assessment · doi:10.3310/hta3120 · Cited by 364
Crow, R. A., Gage, H., Hampson, S., Hart, J., Kimber, A., & Thomas (1999) · Health Technology Assessment · doi:10.3310/hta3030 · Cited by 356
Rochon, P. A. (1994) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.1994.00420020059007 · Cited by 355
Gøtzsche, P. C. (1989) · Controlled Clinical Trials · doi:10.1016/0197-2456(89)90017-2 · Cited by 339
The Quality of Drug Studies Published in Symposium Proceedings
Cho, M. K., & Bero, L. A. (1996) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-124-5-199603010-00004 · Cited by 334
Self-citationSystematic reviews and meta-analyses on treatment of asthma: critical evaluation
Jadad, A. R. (2000) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7234.537 · Cited by 257
Cranston, M. (1963) · DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) · Cited by 242
Problems With the Interpretation of Pharmacoeconomic Analyses
Hill, S. R., Mitchell, A. S., & Henry, D. A. (2000) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.283.16.2116 · Cited by 227
Influences on the Quality of Published Drug Studies
Bero, L. A., & Rennie, D. (1996) · International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care · doi:10.1017/s0266462300009582 · Cited by 223
Self-citationRedundancy, disaggregation, and the integrity of medical research
Huston, P., & Moher, D. (1996) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(96)90153-1 · Cited by 197
Wyatt, J. C. (1991) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/0140-6736(91)92245-w · Cited by 197
Dickersin, K. (1992) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.267.3.374 · Cited by 193
DESIGN AND REPORTING MODIFICATIONS IN INDUSTRY-SPONSORED COMPARATIVE PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY TRIALS
SAFER, D. J. (2002) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-200209000-00002 · Cited by 180
Are Pharmaceuticals Cost-Effective? A Review Of The Evidence
Neumann, P. J., Sandberg, E. A., Bell, C. M., Stone, P. W., & Chapman, R. H. (2000) · Health Affairs · doi:10.1377/hlthaff.19.2.92 · Cited by 178
The Publication of Sponsored Symposiums in Medical Journals
Bero, L. A., Galbraith, A. A., & Rennie, D. (1992) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm199210153271606 · Cited by 167
Self-citationQuantitative analysis of sponsorship bias in economic studies of antidepressants
Baker, C. B., Johnsrud, M. T., Crismon, M. L., Rosenheck, R. A., & Woods, S. W. (2003) · The British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.183.6.498 · Cited by 165
Yaphe, J., Edman, R., Knishkowy, B., & Herman, J. M. (2001) · Family Practice · doi:10.1093/fampra/18.6.565 · Cited by 157
Rochon, P. A. (1994) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.1994.03520020034009 · Cited by 153
Problems in the Design and Reporting of Trials of Antifungal Agents Encountered During Meta-analysis
Johansen, H. K. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.282.18.1752 · Cited by 128
The effectiveness of cost-effectiveness analysis in containing costs
Azimi, N. A., & Welch, H. G. (1998) · Journal of General Internal Medicine · doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.1998.00201.x · Cited by 120
Randomized clinical trials in Hepatology: Predictors of quality
Gluud, L. L., Nikolova, D., & Gluud, C. N. (1999) · Hepatology · doi:10.1002/hep.510300510 · Cited by 115
Funding source, trial outcome and reporting quality: are they related? Results of a pilot study
Clifford, T., Barrowman, N., & Moher, D. (2002) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/1472-6963-2-18 · Cited by 108
Predictive value of pharmacological activity for the relative efficacy of antidepressant drugs
Freemantle, N., Anderson, I. M., & Young, P. J. (2000) · The British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.177.4.292 · Cited by 107
Measuring the Quality of Trials
Berlin, J. A., & Rennie, D. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.282.11.1083 · Cited by 102
Time to register randomised trials
Horton, R., & Smith, R. W. (1999) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.319.7214.865 · Cited by 91
Economic Analyses of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immunoprophylaxis in High-Risk Infants
Kamal‐Bahl, S. J., Doshi, J. A., & Campbell, J. (2002) · Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine · doi:10.1001/archpedi.156.10.1034 · Cited by 91
Djulbegović, B. (2001) · Current Oncology Reports · doi:10.1007/s11912-001-0024-5 · Cited by 66
Wahlbeck, K., & Adams, C. E. (1999) · PubMed · Cited by 64
Evidence of publication bias in reporting acute stroke clinical trials
Liebeskind, D. S., Kidwell, C. S., Sayre, J. W., & Saver, J. L. (2006) · Neurology · doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000237331.16541.ac · Cited by 60
Epidemiology of research into interventions for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint
Chard, J., Tallon, D., & Dieppe, P. A. (2000) · Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases · doi:10.1136/ard.59.6.414 · Cited by 59
Toward prospective registration of clinical trials
Meinert, C. L. (1988) · Controlled Clinical Trials · doi:10.1016/0197-2456(88)90002-5 · Cited by 57
Using Economic Evaluations to Make Formulary Coverage Decisions
Anis, A. H., & Gagnon, Y. M. (2000) · PharmacoEconomics · doi:10.2165/00019053-200018010-00006 · Cited by 56
Academia and industry: lessons from the unfortunate events in Toronto
Nathan, D., & Weatherall, D. J. (1999) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(99)00072-0 · Cited by 56
Rennie, D. (1997) · PubMed · Cited by 52
Knox, K. S., Adams, J. R., Djulbegović, B., Stinson, T. J., Tomori, C., & Bennet, C. L. (2000) · Annals of Oncology · doi:10.1023/a:1008309817708 · Cited by 48
Time to register randomised trials
Horton, R. C., & Smith, R. W. (1999) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(99)00328-1 · Cited by 45
Reports of Randomized Trials in Acute Stroke, 1955 to 1995
Dorman, P. J., Counsell, C. E., & Sandercock, P. A. (1999) · Stroke · doi:10.1161/01.str.30.10.1995 · Cited by 43
Meta-analysis of Tacrine for Alzheimer Disease: The Influence of Industry Sponsors
Koepp, R., & Miles, S. H. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.281.24.2287 · Cited by 43
Rochon, P. A. (1994) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.272.2.108 · Cited by 42
Publication bias in health economic studies.
Sacristán, J. A., Bolaños, E., Hernández, J. M., Soto, J., & Galende, I. (1997) · PubMed · Cited by 34
Manufacturer Support and Outcome
Mandelkern, M. (1999) · The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.4088/jcp.v60n0210a · Cited by 33
Dieppe, P. A., Chard, J., Tallon, D., & Egger, M. (1999) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(05)75755-x · Cited by 32
Secular Changes in Published Clinical Trials of Second‐Line Agents in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Anderson, J. J., Felson, D. T., & Meenan, R. F. (1991) · Arthritis & Rheumatism · doi:10.1002/art.1780341015 · Cited by 27
Publication Bias in Health Economic Studies
&NA; (1997) · PharmacoEconomics · doi:10.2165/00019053-199711030-00010 · Cited by 27
Sponsorship, authorship, and accountability
Wilkes, M. S. (2001) · Western Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1136/ewjm.175.4.259 · Cited by 26
Vandenbroucke, J. P., Helmerhorst, F. M., & Rosendaal, F. R. (2000) · PubMed · Cited by 19
Company sought to block paper's publication
McCarthy, M. (2000) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(00)03166-4 · Cited by 19
Morphine induced allodynia in child with brain tumour
Marples, I. L. (2000) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7231.381 · Cited by 14
Sponsorship, authorship, and accountability
Thomas, P. S., Tan, K., & Yates, D. H. (2002) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(02)07506-2 · Cited by 14
[Randomized clinical trials in hepatology].
Tygstrup, N., Christensen, E. F., & Juhl, E. (1979) · PubMed · Cited by 8
Competing Interests and Controversy About Third Generation Oral Contraceptives
Vandenbroucke, J. P., Helmerhorst, F. M., Rosendaal, F. R., Smith, R., & Hannaford, P. (2000) · DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) · Cited by 7
Toward Prospective Registration of Clinical Trials
Meinert, C. L. (1988) · IRB Ethics and Human Research · doi:10.2307/3564609 · Cited by 5
Sponsored trials do not necessarily give more-favourable results
Matthews, J. N. S. (1999) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.318.7200.1762a · Cited by 4
Nurses aiding smokers therapist program: nursing school intervention model.
Belmont, M. F. (1988) · PubMed · Cited by 3
Job applications could be electronic
Sanders, G. (1999) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.318.7200.1762 · Cited by 1
Research works printed but not linked: 7
- Djulbegovic, 1999, Violation of the uncertainty principle in conduct of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of erythropoietin (EPO)., Blood, 94, 399A
- 10.1056/NEJM199304223281612 · DOI
- Wahlbeck, 1999, Sponsored drug trials show more-favourable outcomes., BMJ, 318, 465
- Massie, 1984, Impact of pharmaceutical industry funding of clinical research: results of a survey of antianginal trials., Circulation, 70, 390S
- 10.1001/jama.1997.03540390068038 · DOI
- 10.1001/jama.281.24.2287 · DOI
- 10.1001/jama.1990.03440100121018 · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gøtzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P. A., Clarke, M., Devereaux, P. J., Kleijnen, J., & Moher, D. (2009) · PLoS Medicine · doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000100 · Cited by 28,164
Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gotzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P. A., Clarke, M., Devereaux, P. J., Kleijnen, J., & Moher, D. (2009) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.b2700 · Cited by 17,648
CONSORT 2010 Statement: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials
the CONSORT Group, Schulz, K. F., Altman, D. G., & Moher, D. (2010) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/1741-7015-8-18 · Cited by 13,371
Pharmacological interventions for somatoform disorders in adults
Kleinstäuber, M., Witthöft, M., Steffanowski, A., van Marwijk, H., Hiller, W., & Lambert, M. J. (2014) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd010628.pub2 · Cited by 11,369
Shea, B. J., Reeves, B. C., Wells, G., Thuku, M., Hamel, C., Moran, J., Moher, D., Tugwell, P., Welch, V., Kristjansson, E., et al. (2017) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.j4008 · Cited by 10,636
Metadata
- Authors
- Lexchin, J., Bero, L. A., Djulbegovic, B., & Clark, O.
- Affiliations
- York University (CA)
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lexchin, Joel
- Venue
- BMJ
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2003-05-29
- Volume
- 326
- Issue
- 7400
- Pages
- 1167-1170
- ISSN
- 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
- 0959-8138
- 1468-5833
- PMC
- PMC156458
- OpenAlex
- W2136284733
- Cited by
- 2,147
- References
- 81
- Citations by year
- 2026: 34 · 2025: 49 · 2024: 61 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 57 · 2021: 53 · 2020: 89 · 2019: 74 · 2018: 86 · 2017: 84 · 2016: 82 · 2015: 100 · 2014: 114 · 2013: 107 · 2012: 150
- FWCI
- 10.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.bmj.com/company/legal-information/terms-conditions/legal-information/tdm-licencepolicy (tdm)
- Locations
- BMJ (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Issues, ethics and legal aspects › Pharmaceutical industry and healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy
- Keywords
- pharmaceutical industry sponsorship, research bias, publication bias, trial quality, research funding sources, comparator selection, conflicts of interest
- MeSH terms
- Clinical Trials as Topic, Drug Industry, Financing, Organized, Publishing, Research, Research Support as Topic
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
