In a study conducted by the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), researchers found that nearly 30% of clinical trials completed in 2008 did not result in publication within four years. Additional evidence indicated a tendency for industry-funded clinical trials to lack public results, which “threatens the validity of the clinical research literature in the U.S.,” as the study suggested.
Many contributors to the study including Dr. Christopher Gill, BUSPH’s Director of the Pharmaceuticals Program, and Hiroki Saito, a former student, are urging the research community to recognize the obligation to maximize transparency in clinical trials for both ethical and scientific reasons. Dr. Gill adds, “Science learns from mistakes, as well as successes. If we only learn about the success stories, we are really only seeing part of the picture.”
Gill and Saito ultimately hope to see a decline in the number of unpublished trials in the U.S., as part of the ongoing effort to maintain the public’s faith in clinical research.
To read the full article on Boston University’s Center for Global Health and Development website, click here.