1
|
Shrier I, Impellizzeri FM, Stovitz SD. Identifying and Minimizing Incentives for Competing Interests in Sports Medicine Publications. Sports Med 2024:10.1007/s40279-024-02037-w. [PMID: 38714641 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-024-02037-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024]
Abstract
Academics in sports medicine as well as other medical fields are generally expected to publish research and opinions in peer-reviewed journals. The peer-review process is intended to protect against the publication of flawed research and unsubstantiated claims. However, both financial and non-financial competing interests may result in sub-optimal results by affecting investigators, editors, peer reviewers, academic institutions, and publishers. In this article, we focus on the non-financial competing interests created in our current academic system. Because these competing interests are embedded in our current scholastic framework, the potential biases are difficult to quantify. To minimize the effect of these competing interests, we review and highlight some underlying incentives for each stakeholder and some potential solutions to mitigate their effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian Shrier
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, 3755 Cote Sainte Catherine Road, Montreal, QC, H3T 1E2, Canada.
| | - Franco M Impellizzeri
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Steven D Stovitz
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Faggion CM. Should informed consent and information related to patient recruitment in clinical trials be available to the reader of scientific articles? A case study in dentistry. Account Res 2023; 30:692-706. [PMID: 35576611 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2022.2078711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Ethical aspects in research should be transparently reported. This study aimed to investigate whether informed consent and information related to patient recruitment in clinical studies are well reported in the scientific literature. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on root coverage procedures published between November 2016 and November 2021 were selected from the PubMed database. Items/questions were used to guide the extraction of data related to patient recruitment, with a focus on the detailed report of informed consent used to clarify the research to the patient. Data were extracted from the published article and the respective research protocol published in a public registry. Information related to potential selective outcome reporting (SOR) was also extracted. In total, 187 documents were initially screened and 74 reports of RCTs were included. No informed consent was published in the article. Only one research protocol provided a link to the informed consent. Deviations from reporting in the research protocol and published article were found, suggesting SOR. Informed consent and information related to patient recruitment in RCTs on root covering procedures are severely underreported. The present findings may stimulate further discussion and debate on the need for making this information publicly available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clovis Mariano Faggion
- Department of Periodontology and Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nguyen DD, Nguyen ALV, Murad L, Labban M, Trinh QD, Wallis CJD, Bhojani N. Reply to Anju Murayama's Letter to the Editor re: David-Dan Nguyen, Liam Murad, Anne Xuan-Lan Nguyen, et al. Industry Payments to American Editorial Board Members of Major Urology Journals. Eur Urol. Eur Urol. 2023;84:442-43. Eur Urol 2023; 84:e140-e141. [PMID: 37770285 DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2023.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David-Dan Nguyen
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Anna-Lisa V Nguyen
- Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Liam Murad
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Muhieddine Labban
- Division of Urology and Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
| | - Quoc-Dien Trinh
- Division of Urology and Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
| | - Christopher J D Wallis
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Division of Urology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Naeem Bhojani
- Division of Urology, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Makarem A, Mroué R, Makarem H, Diab L, Hassan B, Khabsa J, Akl EA. Conflict of interest in the peer review process: A survey of peer review reports. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286908. [PMID: 37289790 PMCID: PMC10249818 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the extent to which peer reviewers and journals editors address study funding and authors' conflicts of interests (COI). Also, we aimed to assess the extent to which peer reviewers and journals editors reported and commented on their own or each other's COI. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a systematic survey of original studies published in open access peer reviewed journals that publish their peer review reports. Using REDCap, we collected data in duplicate and independently from journals' websites and articles' peer review reports. RESULTS We included a sample of original studies (N = 144) and a second one of randomized clinical trials (N = 115) RCTs. In both samples, and for the majority of studies, reviewers reported absence of COI (70% and 66%), while substantive percentages of reviewers did not report on COI (28% and 30%) and only small percentages reported any COI (2% and 4%). For both samples, none of the editors whose names were publicly posted reported on COI. The percentages of peer reviewers commenting on the study funding, authors' COI, editors' COI, or their own COI ranged between 0 and 2% in either one of the two samples. 25% and 7% of editors respectively in the two samples commented on study funding, while none commented on authors' COI, peer reviewers' COI, or their own COI. The percentages of authors commenting in their response letters on the study funding, peer reviewers' COI, editors' COI, or their own COI ranged between 0 and 3% in either one of the two samples. CONCLUSION The percentages of peer reviewers and journals editors who addressed study funding and authors' COI and were extremely low. In addition, peer reviewers and journal editors rarely reported their own COI, or commented on their own or on each other's COI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adham Makarem
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Rayan Mroué
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Halima Makarem
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Laura Diab
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Bashar Hassan
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joanne Khabsa
- Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Elie A. Akl
- Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Brandt J. The devil is in the detail: a critique of nine editorials published by the International Task Force on Benzodiazepines. BJPSYCH ADVANCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1192/bja.2022.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
SUMMARY
Since 2018, the International Task Force on Benzodiazepines (ITFB), a group of academic psychiatrists and academic psychologists, has advocated that clinical guidelines should change to promote benzodiazepines from second- to first-line treatment for anxiety disorders, accept their use as maintenance treatment for anxiety conditions (in particular, panic disorder) and increase their use in gastrointestinal disorders. There is merit in much of what the ITFB argues, but in this article I analyse four major claims it has made in opinion editorials that I believe are not fully supported by the available evidence.
Collapse
|
6
|
Caraher M, Furey S. The corporate influence on food charity and aid: The "Hunger Industrial Complex" and the death of welfare. Front Public Health 2022; 10:950955. [PMID: 36062087 PMCID: PMC9437921 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.950955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an existing literature on how food companies, including the unhealthy food commodity industries, influence policy through a number of approaches. Direct approaches include lobbying and funding of research. Backdoor or indirect tactics used by food companies to demonstrate engagement include funding community groups, tactics previously used by the tobacco industry. Food industry support for food charities engaged in food donations is an area that has not received attention. This is another backdoor approach and one which may compromise more general public health policy. It is no surprise that the companies that engage in this can be largely fall under the rubric of unhealthy food commodity industries. This link is sometimes referred to as the "hunger industrial complex" and is based on the argument that an alliance exists between the food industry and the food banking movement. With rising levels of food insecurity there is pressure on the food system to donate food to charitable enterprises such as food banks and soups kitchens, which is often encouraged by government policy such as "Good Samaritan legislation". Food businesses contribute surplus food and often promote it as part of their corporate social responsibility agenda. The argument presented here is not an anti-food charity one but one which challenges the development of charitable food aid as a system and a replacement for public policy. The reasons for this can be summarized under three headings: (1) such donation systems compromise the wider application of public food welfare and give the impression that food poverty is being addressed; (2) the links with food corporations provide a backdoor for influence on wider food policies; and (3) researchers taking money from food charities may be compromised by the direct and indirect relationships with companies. The focus in this paper is on the latter two issues; the first will be established as a context with work we have published elsewhere. This article draws on examples from the UK of how charities have linked with chocolate and soft drink companies. Examples include: "For every Easter egg bought on the Cadbury Worldwide Hide, Cadbury will donate an Easter egg to a food bank in our network"; a Coca-Cola initiative in December 2021 "Win a meal, give a meal on-pack competition across Coca-Cola Original Taste and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar consumption packs, giving consumers the chance to win food-related vouchers, while donating to FareShare"; and an October 2021 initiative where "McDonald's joins forces with FareShare to fund 1 million meals for UK families". These relationships go beyond companies donating surplus food to food charities such as food banks and pantries to encouraging consumers to buy their products with the promise that the company will contribute products to such charities or provide cash donations in return for the purchase of their product.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Caraher
- Centre for Food Policy, City, University of London, London, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Martin Caraher
| | - Sinéad Furey
- Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Association Between Institutional Affiliations of Academic Editors and Authors in Medical Journals. J Gen Intern Med 2022; 37:2911-2913. [PMID: 35292909 PMCID: PMC9411332 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-022-07483-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
|
8
|
Shaw D. Withholding conflicts of interest: the many flaws of the new ICMJE disclosure form. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2022; 48:19-21. [PMID: 32611617 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2020-106136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this article, I describe and analyse the proposed new International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosing conflicts of interest and conclude that it has many flaws. The form does not mention 'conflicts of interest' even once in either its body or its title, it introduces a conceptually confused categorisation of different potential conflicts and it ignores future conflicts and intellectual biases. Finally, many of the authors of the new form have themselves failed to declare relevant potential conflicts of interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Shaw
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, Universität Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland
- Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kojima T. DISCLOSURE OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN BIOMEDICAL PUBLICATIONS IN VIEW OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF MEDICAL JOURNAL EDITORS RECOMMENDATIONS. CENTRAL ASIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HYPOTHESES AND ETHICS 2021. [DOI: 10.47316/cajmhe.2021.2.1.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
As potential conflicts of interest (COI) are common in biomedical research, handling related issues and managing disclosures is increasingly important. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) revised its guidance on COI in 2019 and introduced the latest version of the COI Disclosure Form in 2021. These documents provide guidance regarding COI policy for ICMJE member and non-member journals. The 2019 revision overviews the main changes in the ICMJE policy. The ICMJE prioritizes appropriate COI disclosures by authors and all others involved in scholarly publishing. Increasing the global awareness of the COI updated policies among all stakeholders is essential for strengthening ethical standing of journals.
Collapse
|
10
|
Roberts LW, Coverdale J. Editorial Decision Making for Academic Medicine, 2021. ACADEMIC MEDICINE : JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES 2021; 96:1-4. [PMID: 33394645 DOI: 10.1097/acm.0000000000003808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
|
11
|
Barnsteiner J, Shawn Kennedy M, Flanagin A, Sietmann C. Nursing Journal Policies on Disclosure and Management of Conflicts of Interest. J Nurs Scholarsh 2020; 52:680-687. [PMID: 33078574 DOI: 10.1111/jnu.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Concerns about conflicts of interest (COIs) in research and health care are well known, but recent reports of authors failing to disclose potential COIs in journal articles threatens the integrity of the scholarly literature. While many nursing journals have published editorials on this topic, review of nursing journal policies on and experiences with COIs has not been reported. The purposes of this study were to examine the extent to which nursing journals have COI policies and require disclosures by authors, peer reviewers, editorial board members, and editors who have a role in journal content decisions. DESIGN This cohort study addressed top-ranked nursing journal policies about and experiences with COIs in scholarly publications. METHODS An analysis of COI policies in the instructions for authors of 118 journals listed in the nursing category of Clarivate Analytics Journal Citation Reports was completed in 2019. An electronic survey of the editors was also conducted to determine their awareness and experience with COI policies for their journals. Characteristics of the journals and policies were assessed. Information on polices about COIs for editors and peer reviewers were also reviewed. A content analysis of the policies included assessment of best practices and gaps in requirements. FINDINGS For the journal policy assessment, 116 journals that publish only in the English language were eligible. The majority (n = 113; 97.4%) of journals had a statement on COI policies for authors, but only 42 (36.2%) had statements for peer reviewers and only 37 (31.9%) had statements for editors. A total of 117 journal editors were sent the survey. One declined to participate, leaving a total of 116 eligible editors; 82 (70.6%) responded and 34 did not respond. Sixty-seven (81.7%) of the 82 editors indicated that their journal had a policy about COIs for authors. Seventy-four editors (63.7%) responded to the question about their journal having a policy about COIs for peer reviewers and editors. Thirty-three (44.5%) of the respondents indicated their journal had a COI policy for peer reviewers, and 29 (39.1%) stated they had a policy for editors. Few editors (n = 7; 9%) indicated that they had encountered problems pertaining to author COIs. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study may help promote ethical publication practices through comprehensive policies on disclosure and management of nursing journal authors, peer reviewers, and editors. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Declarations of potential conflicts of interest promote transparency and allows the consumer of research to take that into consideration when considering the findings of a study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jane Barnsteiner
- Xi, Professor Emerita, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Editor, Translational Research and Quality Improvement, American Journal of Nursing, Miramar Beach, FL, USA
| | | | - Annette Flanagin
- Gamma Phi, Executive Managing Editor, JAMA and JAMA Network, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Caroline Sietmann
- Author Outreach Program Manager, JAMA and JAMA Network, Chicago, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bose D, Nasta S, Ravi R, Thatte UM, Gogtay NJ. An audit of reporting of conflict of interest policies among three stakeholders in Indian biomedical journals. Perspect Clin Res 2020; 11:168-173. [PMID: 33489835 PMCID: PMC7819370 DOI: 10.4103/picr.picr_85_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A conflict of interest (COI) in publication exists when the primary interest of publication is influenced by a secondary interest (financial or non-financial). International guidelines are available that can be used by journal editors to formulate their own COI policies. The present study was carried out with the objective of evaluating COI policies existing among Indian biomedical journals. MATERIALS AND METHODS MEDLINE/PubMed and MedIND/IndMed databases were searched. Inclusions were journals that were active and indexed. Outcome measures were proportion of journals: (a) mentioning COI disclosure statement for authors, reviewers, and editors, (b) adequately explaining COI, (c) referring to three international guidelines, and (d) the proportion of PubMed/other than PubMed indexed journals mentioning COI policy for authors, reviewers, and editors and providing an adequate explanation for COI. Apart from descriptive statistics, associations between indexing and COI Policy for all three stakeholders were evaluated. RESULTS A total of n = 106 journals formed the final sample. Among them, 82 (77%) were PubMed and 24 (23%) were MedIND/IndMed indexed. COI disclosure statement was mentioned in 93 (87.7%) journals for authors, 10 (9.4%) for reviewers, and 06 (5.6%) for editors. Only 35 (33%) journals adequately explained COI. A total of 61 (57.5%) journals endorsed all the three international guidelines. PubMed indexing was found to be associated with approximately 19 times the odds of COI policies being present on the journal's home page relative to the journals indexed with other indexing agencies (crude odds ratio - 18.8, 95% confidence interval [4.6, 77],P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Very few Indian biomedical journals have COI policies for reviewers and editors and most did not explain it adequately. Nearly, a fifth of the journals we evaluated did not follow any guideline for disclosing COI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debdipta Bose
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shagun Nasta
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Renju Ravi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Urmila M. Thatte
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Nithya J. Gogtay
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Niforatos JD, Narang J, Trueger NS. Financial Conflicts of Interest Among Emergency Medicine Journals’ Editorial Boards. Ann Emerg Med 2020; 75:418-422. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2019.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
14
|
DiRisio AC, Muskens IS, Cote DJ, Babu M, Gormley WB, Smith TR, Moojen WA, Broekman ML. Oversight and Ethical Regulation of Conflicts of Interest in Neurosurgery in the United States. Neurosurgery 2019; 84:305-312. [PMID: 29850841 DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyy227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developmental incentives are fundamental to surgical progress, yet financial and professional incentives inherently create conflicts of interest (COI). Understanding how to manage COI held by neurosurgeons, industry, hospitals, and journal editors, without thwarting progress and innovation is critical. OBJECTIVE To present an overview of COI associated with innovation in neurosurgery, and review ways to manage these in an ethically sound manner. METHODS A review of the literature was performed to assess conflicts of interest that affect neurosurgical innovation, and review ways to manage COI of various parties while adhering to ethical standards. RESULTS COI are inherent to collaboration and innovation, and are therefore an unavoidable component of neurosurgery. The lack of a clear distinction between clinical practice and innovation, ability to use devices off-label, and unstandardized disclosure requirements create inconsistencies in the way that conflicts of interest are handled. Additionally, lack of requirements to compare innovation to the standard of care and inherent bias that affects study design and interpretation can have profound effects on the medical literature. Conflicts of interest can have both direct and downstream effects on neurosurgical practice, and it is possible to manage them while improving the quality of research and innovation. CONCLUSION Conflicts of interest are inherent to surgical innovation, and can be handled in an ethically sound manner. Neurosurgeons, device companies, hospitals, and medical journals can take steps to proactively confront bias and ensure patient autonomy and safety. These steps can preserve public trust and ultimately improve evidence-based neurosurgical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aislyn C DiRisio
- Computational Neurosciences Out-comes Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Ivo S Muskens
- Computational Neurosciences Out-comes Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center Haaglanden, The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - David J Cote
- Computational Neurosciences Out-comes Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maya Babu
- Department of Neuro-surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - William B Gormley
- Computational Neurosciences Out-comes Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Timothy R Smith
- Computational Neurosciences Out-comes Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wouter A Moojen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center Haaglanden, The Hague, The Netherlands.,Department of Neuro-surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marike L Broekman
- Computational Neurosciences Out-comes Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Jones L, Drobe B, González-Méijome JM, Gray L, Kratzer T, Newman S, Nichols JJ, Ohlendorf A, Ramdass S, Santodomingo-Rubido J, Schmid KL, Tan D, Tan KO, Vera-Diaz FA, Wong YL, Gifford KL, Resnikoff S. IMI - Industry Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Myopia Control Report. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2019; 60:M161-M183. [PMID: 30817831 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.18-25963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To discuss guidelines and ethical considerations associated with the development and prescription of treatments intended for myopia control (MC). Methods Critical review of published papers and guidance documents was undertaken, with a view to carefully considering the ethical standards associated with the investigation, development, registration, marketing, prescription, and use of MC treatments. Results The roles and responsibilities of regulatory bodies, manufacturers, academics, eye care practitioners, and patients in the use of MC treatments are explored. Particular attention is given to the ethical considerations for deciding whether to implement a MC strategy and how to implement this within a clinical trial or practice setting. Finally, the responsibilities in marketing, support, and education required to transfer required knowledge and skills to eye care practitioners and academics are discussed. Conclusions Undertaking MC treatment in minors creates an ethical challenge for a wide variety of stakeholders. Regulatory bodies, manufacturers, academics, and clinicians all share an ethical responsibility to ensure that the products used for MC are safe and efficacious and that patients understand the benefits and potential risks of such products. This International Myopia Institute report highlights these ethical challenges and provides stakeholders with recommendations and guidelines in the development, financial support, prescribing, and advertising of such treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lyndon Jones
- Centre for Ocular Research & Education, School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Björn Drobe
- Essilor Research and Development, Vision Sciences AMERA, Center of Innovation and Technology AMERA, Singapore, Singapore
| | - José Manuel González-Méijome
- Clinical & Experimental Optometry Research Lab, Center of Physics (Optometry), School of Science, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Lyle Gray
- Department of Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Timo Kratzer
- Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH, Aalen, Germany
| | | | - Jason J Nichols
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
| | - Arne Ohlendorf
- Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH, Aalen, Germany.,Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie Ramdass
- Vision Research Institute, Michigan College of Optometry, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan, United States
| | | | - Katrina L Schmid
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Donald Tan
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore
| | - Kah-Ooi Tan
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, and School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Yee-Ling Wong
- Essilor Research and Development, Vision Sciences AMERA, Center of Innovation and Technology AMERA, Singapore, Singapore.,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kate L Gifford
- Private Practice and School of Optometry and Vision Science, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Serge Resnikoff
- Brien Holden Vision Institute, and School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Teixeira da Silva JA, Dobránszki J, Bhar RH, Mehlman CT. Editors Should Declare Conflicts of Interest. JOURNAL OF BIOETHICAL INQUIRY 2019; 16:279-298. [PMID: 31016681 PMCID: PMC6598958 DOI: 10.1007/s11673-019-09908-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Editors have increasing pressure as scholarly publishing tries to shore up trust and reassure academics and the public that traditional peer review is robust, fail-safe, and corrective. Hidden conflicts of interest (COIs) may skew the fairness of the publishing process because they could allow the status of personal or professional relationships to positively influence the outcome of peer review or reduce the processing period of this process. Not all authors have such privileged relationships. In academic journals, editors usually have very specialized skills and are selected as agents of trust, entrusted with the responsibility of serving as quality control gate-keepers during peer review. In many cases, editors form extensive networks, either with other professionals, industry, academic bodies, journals, or publishers. Such networks and relationships may influence their decisions or even their subjectivity towards a set of submitting authors, paper, or institute, ultimately influencing the peer review process. These positions and relationships are not simply aspects of a curriculum, they are potential COIs. Thus, on the editorial board of all academic journals, editors should carry a COI statement that reflects their past history, as well as actual relationships and positions that they have, as these may influence their editorial functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Judit Dobránszki
- Research Institute of Nyíregyháza, IAREF, University of Debrecen, P.O. Box 12, Nyíregyháza, H-4400, Hungary.
| | - Radha Holla Bhar
- Alliance Against Conflict of Interest, BP 33, Pitampura, Delhi, 110 034, India.
| | - Charles T Mehlman
- Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Wong VSS, Avalos LN, Callaham ML. Industry payments to physician journal editors. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211495. [PMID: 30730904 PMCID: PMC6366761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Open Payments is a United States federal program mandating reporting of medical industry payments to physicians, increasing transparency of physician conflicts of interest (COI). Study objectives were to assess industry payments to physician-editors, and to compare their financial COI rate to all physicians within the specialty. Methods and findings We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data, reviewing Open Payments from August 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016. We reviewed general payments (“… not made in connection with a research agreement”) and research funding to “top tier” physician-editors of highly-cited medical journals. We compared payments to physician-editors and physicians-by-specialty. In 35 journals, 333 (74.5%) of 447 “top tier” US-based editors met inclusion criteria. Of these, 212 (63.7%) received industry-associated payments in the study period. In an average year, 141 (42.3%) of physician-editors received any direct payments to themselves including general payments and research payments, 66 (19.8%) received direct payments >$5,000 (National Institutes of Health threshold for a Significant Financial Interest) and 51 (15.3%) received >$10,000. Mean annual general payments to physician-editors was $55,157 (median 3,512, standard deviation 561,885, range 10–10,981,153). Median general payments to physician-editors were mostly higher compared to all physicians within their specialty. Mean annual direct research payment to the physician-editor was $14,558 (median 4,000, range 15–174,440). Mean annual indirect research funding to the physician-editor’s institution (highly valued by academic leaders such as departmental chairs and deans) was $175,282 (median 49,107, range 0.18–5,000,000). The main study limitation was difficulty identifying physician-editors primarily responsible for making manuscript decisions. Conclusions A substantial minority of physician-editors receive payments from industry within any given year, sometimes quite large. Most editors received payment of some kind during the four-year study period. Given the extent of editors’ influences on the medical literature, more robust and accessible editor financial COI declarations are recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria S. S. Wong
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
- Neuroscience Institute, The Queen's Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Michael L. Callaham
- University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Bauchner H, Fontanarosa PB, Flanagin A. Conflicts of Interests, Authors, and Journals: New Challenges for a Persistent Problem. JAMA 2018; 320:2315-2318. [PMID: 30422174 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2018.17593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
|
19
|
Gottlieb S. Why Does the Journal Need a Guest Editor? J Card Fail 2018; 24:541. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2018.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
20
|
Master Z, Werner K, Smith E, Resnik DB, Williams-Jones B. Conflicts of interest policies for authors, peer reviewers, and editors of bioethics journals. AJOB Empir Bioeth 2018; 9:194-205. [PMID: 30248000 PMCID: PMC6310149 DOI: 10.1080/23294515.2018.1510859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In biomedical research, there have been numerous scandals highlighting conflicts of interest (COIs) leading to significant bias in judgment and questionable practices. Academic institutions, journals, and funding agencies have developed and enforced policies to mitigate issues related to COI, especially surrounding financial interests. After a case of editorial COI in a prominent bioethics journal, there is concern that the same level of oversight regarding COIs in the biomedical sciences may not apply to the field of bioethics. In this study, we examined the availability and comprehensiveness of COI policies for authors, peer reviewers, and editors of bioethics journals. METHODS After developing a codebook, we analyzed the content of online COI policies of 63 bioethics journals, along with policy information provided by journal editors that was not publicly available. RESULTS Just over half of the bioethics journals had COI policies for authors (57%), and only 25% for peer reviewers and 19% for editors. There was significant variation among policies regarding definitions, the types of COIs described, the management mechanisms, and the consequences for noncompliance. Definitions and descriptions centered on financial COIs, followed by personal and professional relationships. Almost all COI policies required disclosure of interests for authors as the primary management mechanism. Very few journals outlined consequences for noncompliance with COI policies or provided additional resources. CONCLUSION Compared to other studies of biomedical journals, a much lower percentage of bioethics journals have COI policies and these vary substantially in content. The bioethics publishing community needs to develop robust policies for authors, peer reviewers, and editors and these should be made publicly available to enhance academic and public trust in bioethics scholarship.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zubin Master
- Biomedical Ethics Research Program, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street, SW, Rochester, MN 55905, W: 507-266-1105; Fax: 507-538-0850,
| | - Kelly Werner
- Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, Northwell Health, 276-01 76 Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11040, W: 718-470-3204; Fax: 718-470-3935,
| | - Elise Smith
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Box 12233, Mail Drop E1 06, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, 27709,
| | - David B. Resnik
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Box 12233, Mail Drop E1 06, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, 27709, W: 919-541-5658; Fax: 919-541-9854,
| | - Bryn Williams-Jones
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada,
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Daou KN, Hakoum MB, Khamis AM, Bou-Karroum L, Ali A, Habib JR, Semaan AT, Guyatt G, Akl EA. Public health journals' requirements for authors to disclose funding and conflicts of interest: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:533. [PMID: 29688846 PMCID: PMC5913791 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5456-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public health journals need to have clear policies for reporting the funding of studies and authors' personal financial and non-financial conflicts of interest (COI) disclosures. This study aims to assess the policies of public health journals on reporting of study funding and the disclosure of authors' COIs. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study of "Public, Environmental & Occupational Health" journals. Teams of two researchers abstracted data in duplicate and independently using REDCap software. RESULTS Of 173 public health journals, 155 (90%) had a policy for reporting study funding information. Out of these, a majority did not require reporting of the phase of the study for which funding was received (88%), nor the types of funding sources (87%). Of the 173 journals, 163 (94%) had a policy requiring disclosure of authors' COI. However, the majority of these journals did not require financial conflicts of interest disclosures relating to institutions (75%) nor to the author's family members (90%) while 56% required the disclosure of at least one form of non-financial COI. CONCLUSIONS The policies of the majority of public health journals do not require the reporting of important details such as the role of the funder, and non-financial COI. Journals and publishers should consider revising their editorial policies to ensure complete and transparent reporting of funding and COI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karim N Daou
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Maram B Hakoum
- Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Assem M Khamis
- Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Lama Bou-Karroum
- Center for Systematic Reviews for Health Policy and Systems Research, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Ahmed Ali
- Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Joseph R Habib
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Aline T Semaan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Gordon Guyatt
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elie A Akl
- Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. .,Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Gatekeepers of Reward: a Pilot Study on the Ethics of Editing and Competing Evaluations of Value. JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC ETHICS 2018; 16:211-223. [PMID: 30956629 PMCID: PMC6417389 DOI: 10.1007/s10805-018-9305-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The reward infrastructure in science centres on publication, in which journal editors play a key role. Reward distribution hinges on value assessments performed by editors, who draw from plural value systems to judge manuscripts. This conceptual paper examines the numerous biases and other factors that affect editorial decisions. Hybrid and often conflicting value systems contribute to an infrastructure in which editors manage reward through editorial review, commissioned commentaries and reviews and weighing of peer review judgments. Taken together, these systems and processes push the editor into a role resembling censorship. Editors and authors both experience this phenomenon as an unintended side-effect of the reward infrastructure in science. To work towards a more constructive editor-author relationship, we propose a conversation, an exchange between editor and author in which value is collectively assessed (or constructed) as obligatory passage points in the publishing process are traversed. This paper contributes to the discourse on editorial practices by problematising editorial paradigms in a new way and suggesting solutions to entrenched problems.
Collapse
|
23
|
Rey C. [Conflicts of interests of the editors]. An Pediatr (Barc) 2018; 88:296-297. [PMID: 29622415 DOI: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2018.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Corsino Rey
- Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, España.
| | -
- Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, España
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Hausmann L, Schweitzer B, Middleton FA, Schulz JB. Reviewer selection biases editorial decisions on manuscripts. J Neurochem 2018; 146:21-46. [PMID: 29377133 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Many journals, including the Journal of Neurochemistry, enable authors to list peer reviewers as 'preferred' or 'opposed' suggestions to the editor. At the Journal of Neurochemistry, the handling editor (HE) may follow recommendations or select non-author-suggested reviewers (non-ASRs). We investigated whether selection of author-suggested reviewers (ASRs) influenced decisions on a paper, and whether differences might be related to a reviewer's, editor's or manuscript's geographical location. In this retrospective analysis, we compared original research articles submitted to the Journal of Neurochemistry from 2013 through 2016 that were either reviewed exclusively by non-ASRs, by at least one ASR, by at least one reviewer marked by the author as 'opposed' or none. Manuscript outcome, reviewer rating of manuscript quality, rating of the reviewers' performance by the editor (R-score), time to review, and the country of the editor, reviewers and manuscript author were analyzed using non-parametric rank-based comparisons, chi-square (χ2 ) analysis, multivariate linear regression, one-way analysis of variance, and inter-rater reliability determination. Original research articles that had been reviewed by at least one ASR stood a higher chance of being accepted (525/1006 = 52%) than papers that had been reviewed by non-ASRs only (579/1800 = 32%). An article was 2.4 times more likely to be accepted than rejected by an ASR compared to a non-ASR (Pearson's χ2 (1) = 181.3, p < 0.05). At decision, the editor did not simply follow the reviewers' recommendation but had a balancing role: Rates of recommendation from reviewers for rejection were 11.2% (139/1241) with ASRs versus 29.0% (1379/4755) with non-ASRs (this is a ratio of 0.39 where 1 means no difference between rejection rates for both groups), whereas the proportion of final decisions to reject was 24.7% (248/1006) versus 45.7% (822/1800) (a ratio of 0.54, considerably closer to 1). Recommendations by non-ASRs were more favorable for manuscripts from USA/Canada and Europe than for Asia/Pacific or Other countries. ASRs judged North American manuscripts most favorably, and judged papers generally more positively (mean: 2.54 on a 1-5 scale) than did non-ASRs (mean: 3.16) reviewers, whereas time for review (13.28 vs. 13.20 days) did not differ significantly between these groups. We also found that editors preferably assigned reviewers from their own geographical region, but there was no tendency for reviewers to judge papers from their own region more favorably. Our findings strongly confirm a bias toward lower rejection rates when ASRs assess a paper, which led to the decision to abandon the option to recommend reviewers at the Journal of Neurochemistry. Open Data: Materials are available on https://osf.io/jshg7/.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hausmann
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Barbara Schweitzer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank A Middleton
- SUNY Upstate Medical University, Institute for Human Performance, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA) - JARA-Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, FZ Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|