Industry vs. Investigator-led Trials in Critical Care
Author Information
Author(s): Kommaraju K, Kwong W, Marshall J, Burns K
Primary Institution: Virginia Commonwealth University
Hypothesis
Funding sources may influence the focus and conduct of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Conclusion
Industry-funded trials are larger, more frequently originate from North America, and more frequently target patients with sepsis.
Supporting Evidence
- 83 (26.5%) of the RCTs were fully industry-funded.
- Industry-funded RCTs randomized more patients (median 385 vs. 255).
- Industry-funded trials were more likely to originate from North America (61.4% vs. 36.4%).
- A higher proportion of industry-funded RCTs recruited sepsis patients (42.2% vs. 12.1%).
- The number of published critical care RCTs has increased over time.
Takeaway
This study looked at how the money behind medical trials affects their size and focus. It found that trials funded by companies are usually bigger and often study sepsis patients.
Methodology
A systematic review of RCTs published between 1990 and 2009, analyzing funding sources and trial characteristics.
Participant Demographics
Majority of trials involved adult patients, with some focusing on neonatal or pediatric patients.
Statistical Information
P-Value
P = 0.0006
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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