Biased Breast Cancer Studies From Drug Companies?
Reported February 26, 2007
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — When the pharmaceutical industry funds studies on breast cancer, the results are more likely to be positive, according to the results of a new study.
New research from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill also reveals industry-funded studies have significant differences in design compared to non-sponsored trials.
Researchers reviewed a decade of studies on breast cancer therapies. Their analysis shows 48 percent of the trials had some form of drug company involvement, either co-authorship, supply of the drug or financial support. Drug companies’ participation increased from 44 percent in 1993 to 58 percent in 2003.
According to researchers, industry studies were more likely to have more positive results than others. In fact, 84 percent of industry studies had positive results compared to 54 percent of non-industry studies. Industry studies were also much more likely to use “single arm” designs, studies in which all patients get the same treatment without comparing it to other drugs or placebos.
Study authors write drug companies are excellent at developing new therapies. They warn research questions not directly related to drug development may be neglected, like the best dosing and duration of a medication and whether certain groups of patients benefit from a medication more than others.
SOURCE: CANCER, published online Feb. 26, 2007
