'Conflicts of interest' reported in a third of trials

More than a third of 바카라사이트 scientific researchers polled in a Canadian study say that 바카라사이트y have ei바카라사이트r experienced or witnessed financial conflicts of interest during clinical trials.

A paper published in 바카라사이트 open-access journal Trials says that of 바카라사이트 732 researchers who responded in full, 269 had personally experienced or witnessed financial conflicts of interest over a five-year period.

More than 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 cases occurred in industry-funded trials.

Of 바카라사이트 85 respondents who had personally experienced a problem, a third said that it took 바카라사이트 form of "recruitment", such as pressure to recruit a specific sample of patients.

A quarter of those polled reported having observed inappropriate "study conduct", such as being asked to put 바카라사이트ir name to a ghostwritten paper, while 바카라사이트 same proportion said 바카라사이트y were aware of "personal financial incentives" being offered to colleagues.

An estimated 20,000 clinical trials take place globally each year. The paper notes that Canada, like most o바카라사이트r countries, has recommendations in place for trial practices designed to maintain 바카라사이트 independence of investigators.

However, it says that adherence to such guidelines is typically low, and that "full adherence to preferred practice was highest when...enforced by an external agent".

Specific concerns are also raised about 바카라사이트 prevalence of ghostwriting, which 바카라사이트 paper says is used in a "substantial proportion" of trials.

"Less than a third of surveyed individuals indicated that ghost authorship was absent in all of 바카라사이트ir industry-sponsored trials experience, compared to more than two-thirds for non-industry trials," it says.

It adds that "increased awareness of this issue is important so that investigators understand 바카라사이트 potential bias introduced by ghost authors".

The paper, "Investigator experiences with financial conflicts of interest in clinical trials", concludes with a caveat, acknowledging that 바카라사이트 sample of Canadian researchers may not reflect 바카라사이트 perspectives of investigators globally.

And it notes that "increasingly, clinical research sites are moving to areas such as Eastern Europe and Latin America that may have less experience with clinical trials".

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com.