Authors of Clinical Trials Reported Individual and Financial Conflicts of Interest More Frequently than Institutional and non-financial Ones: a Methodological Survey

• Published in: Journal of clinical epidemiology 2017
• Main Authors: Hakoum, Maram B., MD, Jouni, Nahla, BS, Abou-Jaoude, Eliane A., MD, Hasbani, Divina Justina, BS, Abou-Jaoude, Elias A., MBA, Lopes, Luciane Cruz, PhD, Khaldieh, Mariam, BS, Hammoud, Mira Z., MD, Al Gibbawi, Mounir, BS, Anouti, Sirine, MPH, Guyatt, Gordon, MD, MSc, Akl, Elie A., MD, MPH, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Internal Medicine
• ISSN: 0895-4356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.04.002

Abstract Background Conflicts of interest (COI) are increasingly recognised as important to disclose and manage in health research. The objective of this study was to assess the reporting of both financial and non-financial COI by authors of randomised controlled trials published in a representative sample of clinical journals. Methods We searched Ovid Medline and included a random sample of 200 randomised controlled trials published in 2015 in one of the 119 Core Clinical Journals. We classified COI using a comprehensive framework that includes: individual COIs (financial, professional, scholarly, advocatory, personal) and institutional COIs (financial, professional, scholarly, and advocatory). We conducted descriptive and regression analyses. Results Of the 200 randomised controlled trials, 188 (94%) reported authors’ COI disclosures that were available in the main document (92%) and as ICMJE forms accessible online (12%). Of the 188 trials, 57% had at least one author reporting at least one COI; in all these trials at least one author reported financial COI. Institutional COIs (11%) and non-financial COIs (4%) were less commonly reported. References to COI disclosure statements for editors (1%) and medical writers (0%) were seldom present. Regression analyses showed positive associations between reporting individual financial COI and higher journal impact factor (OR=1.06, 95% CI=1.02-1.10), larger number of authors (OR=1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.20), affiliation with an institution from a high income country (OR=16.75, 95% CI 3.38-82.87), and trials reporting on pharmacological interventions (OR=2.28, 95% CI 1.13-4.62). Conclusion More than half of published randomised controlled trials report that at least one author has a COI. Trial authors report financial COIs more often than non-financial COIs and individual COIs more frequently than institutional COIs.