Industry-supported meta-analyses compared with meta-analyses with non-profit or no support: Differences in methodological quality and conclusions
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies have shown that industry-sponsored meta-analyses of drugs lack scientific rigour and have biased conclusions. However, these studies have been restricted to certain medical specialities. We compared all industry-supported met...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2008-09-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2288/8/60 |
| _version_ | 1811293421507182592 |
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| author | Faurschou Annesofie Tendal Britta Maric Katja L Jørgensen Anders W Gøtzsche Peter C |
| author_facet | Faurschou Annesofie Tendal Britta Maric Katja L Jørgensen Anders W Gøtzsche Peter C |
| author_sort | Faurschou Annesofie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies have shown that industry-sponsored meta-analyses of drugs lack scientific rigour and have biased conclusions. However, these studies have been restricted to certain medical specialities. We compared all industry-supported meta-analyses of drug-drug comparisons with those without industry support.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched PubMed for all meta-analyses that compared different drugs or classes of drugs published in 2004. Two authors assessed the meta-analyses and independently extracted data. We used a validated scale for judging the methodological quality and a binary scale for judging conclusions. We divided the meta-analyses according to the type of support in 3 categories: industry-supported, non-profit support or no support, and undeclared support.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We included 39 meta-analyses. Ten had industry support, 18 non-profit or no support, and 11 undeclared support. On a 0–7 scale, the median quality score was 6 for meta-analyses with non-profit or no support and 2.5 for the industry-supported meta-analyses (P < 0.01). Compared with industry-supported meta-analyses, more meta-analyses with non-profit or no support avoided bias in the selection of studies (P = 0.01), more often stated the search methods used to find studies (P = 0.02), searched comprehensively (P < 0.01), reported criteria for assessing the validity of the studies (P = 0.02), used appropriate criteria (P = 0.04), described methods of allocation concealment (P = 0.05), described methods of blinding (P = 0.05), and described excluded patients (P = 0.08) and studies (P = 0.15). Forty percent of the industry-supported meta-analyses recommended the experimental drug without reservations, compared with 22% of the meta-analyses with non-profit or no support (P = 0.57).</p> <p>In a sensitivity analysis, we contacted the authors of the meta-analyses with undeclared support. Eight who replied that they had not received industry funding were added to those with non-profit or no support, and 3 who did not reply were added to those with industry support. This analysis did not change the results much.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Transparency is essential for readers to make their own judgment about medical interventions guided by the results of meta-analyses. We found that industry-supported meta-analyses are less transparent than meta-analyses with non-profit support or no support.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:01:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d83eebdfe09941e8a74481609f1f8124 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2288 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:01:09Z |
| publishDate | 2008-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d83eebdfe09941e8a74481609f1f81242022-12-22T03:01:19ZengBMCBMC Medical Research Methodology1471-22882008-09-01816010.1186/1471-2288-8-60Industry-supported meta-analyses compared with meta-analyses with non-profit or no support: Differences in methodological quality and conclusionsFaurschou AnnesofieTendal BrittaMaric Katja LJørgensen Anders WGøtzsche Peter C<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies have shown that industry-sponsored meta-analyses of drugs lack scientific rigour and have biased conclusions. However, these studies have been restricted to certain medical specialities. We compared all industry-supported meta-analyses of drug-drug comparisons with those without industry support.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched PubMed for all meta-analyses that compared different drugs or classes of drugs published in 2004. Two authors assessed the meta-analyses and independently extracted data. We used a validated scale for judging the methodological quality and a binary scale for judging conclusions. We divided the meta-analyses according to the type of support in 3 categories: industry-supported, non-profit support or no support, and undeclared support.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We included 39 meta-analyses. Ten had industry support, 18 non-profit or no support, and 11 undeclared support. On a 0–7 scale, the median quality score was 6 for meta-analyses with non-profit or no support and 2.5 for the industry-supported meta-analyses (P < 0.01). Compared with industry-supported meta-analyses, more meta-analyses with non-profit or no support avoided bias in the selection of studies (P = 0.01), more often stated the search methods used to find studies (P = 0.02), searched comprehensively (P < 0.01), reported criteria for assessing the validity of the studies (P = 0.02), used appropriate criteria (P = 0.04), described methods of allocation concealment (P = 0.05), described methods of blinding (P = 0.05), and described excluded patients (P = 0.08) and studies (P = 0.15). Forty percent of the industry-supported meta-analyses recommended the experimental drug without reservations, compared with 22% of the meta-analyses with non-profit or no support (P = 0.57).</p> <p>In a sensitivity analysis, we contacted the authors of the meta-analyses with undeclared support. Eight who replied that they had not received industry funding were added to those with non-profit or no support, and 3 who did not reply were added to those with industry support. This analysis did not change the results much.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Transparency is essential for readers to make their own judgment about medical interventions guided by the results of meta-analyses. We found that industry-supported meta-analyses are less transparent than meta-analyses with non-profit support or no support.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2288/8/60 |
| spellingShingle | Faurschou Annesofie Tendal Britta Maric Katja L Jørgensen Anders W Gøtzsche Peter C Industry-supported meta-analyses compared with meta-analyses with non-profit or no support: Differences in methodological quality and conclusions BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| title | Industry-supported meta-analyses compared with meta-analyses with non-profit or no support: Differences in methodological quality and conclusions |
| title_full | Industry-supported meta-analyses compared with meta-analyses with non-profit or no support: Differences in methodological quality and conclusions |
| title_fullStr | Industry-supported meta-analyses compared with meta-analyses with non-profit or no support: Differences in methodological quality and conclusions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Industry-supported meta-analyses compared with meta-analyses with non-profit or no support: Differences in methodological quality and conclusions |
| title_short | Industry-supported meta-analyses compared with meta-analyses with non-profit or no support: Differences in methodological quality and conclusions |
| title_sort | industry supported meta analyses compared with meta analyses with non profit or no support differences in methodological quality and conclusions |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2288/8/60 |
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