Maram B Hakoum1, Nahla Jouni2, Eliane A Abou-Jaoude3, Divina Justina Hasbani4, Elias A Abou-Jaoude5, Luciane Cruz Lopes6, Mariam Khaldieh7, Mira Z Hammoud8, Mounir Al-Gibbawi4, Sirine Anouti9, Gordon Guyatt10, Elie A Akl11. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, PO Box: 11-0236, Riad-El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. 2. Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, PO Box: 11-0236, Riad-El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. 3. Department of Internal Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, 12 Capen Hall, Buffalo, New York 14260-1660, USA. 4. Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, PO Box: 11-0236, Riad-El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. 5. Department of Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, 12 Capen Hall, Buffalo, New York 14260-1660, USA. 6. Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sorocaba, Rod. Raposo Tavares, km, 92.5, São Paulo 18023-000, Brazil. 7. Faculty of Sciences, American University of Beirut, PO Box: 11-0236, Riad-El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. 8. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02144, USA. 9. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, American University of Beirut, PO Box: 11-0236, Riad-El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. 10. Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada. 11. Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, PO Box: 11-0236, Riad-El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon; Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada; Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, PO Box: 11-0236, Riad-El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. Electronic address: ea32@aub.edu.lb.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Conflicts of interest (COIs) are increasingly recognized as important to disclose and manage in health research. The objective of this study was to assess the reporting of both financial and nonfinancial COI by authors of randomized controlled trials published in a representative sample of clinical journals. METHODS: We searched Ovid Medline and included a random sample of 200 randomized controlled trials published in 2015 in one of the 119 Core Clinical Journals. We classified COI using a comprehensive framework that includes the following: 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 randomized controlled trials, 188 (94%) reported authors' COI disclosures that were available in the main document (92%) and as International Committee of Medical Journal Editors 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 nonfinancial 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 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [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 randomized controlled trials report that at least one author has a COI. Trial authors report financial COIs more often than nonfinancial COIs and individual COIs more frequently than institutional COIs.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Conflicts of interest (COIs) are increasingly recognized as important to disclose and manage in health research. The objective of this study was to assess the reporting of both financial and nonfinancial COI by authors of randomized controlled trials published in a representative sample of clinical journals. METHODS: We searched Ovid Medline and included a random sample of 200 randomized controlled trials published in 2015 in one of the 119 Core Clinical Journals. We classified COI using a comprehensive framework that includes the following: 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 randomized controlled trials, 188 (94%) reported authors' COI disclosures that were available in the main document (92%) and as International Committee of Medical Journal Editors 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 nonfinancial 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 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [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 randomized controlled trials report that at least one author has a COI. Trial authors report financial COIs more often than nonfinancial COIs and individual COIs more frequently than institutional COIs.
Authors: Waleed Alhazzani; Kimberley Lewis; Roman Jaeschke; Bram Rochwerg; Morten Hylander Møller; Laura Evans; Kevin C Wilson; Sheena Patel; Craig M Coopersmith; Maurizio Cecconi; Gordon Guyatt; Elie A Akl Journal: Intensive Care Med Date: 2018-09-27 Impact factor: 17.440
Authors: Lama Bou-Karroum; Maram B Hakoum; Mira Z Hammoud; Assem M Khamis; Mounir Al-Gibbawi; Sanaa Badour; Divina Justina Hasbani; Luciane Cruz Lopes; Hebah M El-Rayess; Fadi El-Jardali; Gordon Guyatt; Elie A Akl Journal: Int J Health Policy Manag Date: 2018-08-01
Authors: Maram B Hakoum; Nahla Jouni; Eliane A Abou-Jaoude; Divina Justina Hasbani; Elias A Abou-Jaoude; Luciane Cruz Lopes; Mariam Khaldieh; Mira Zein Hammoud; Mounir Al-Gibbawi; Sirine Anouti; Gordon Guyatt; Elie A Akl Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2017-10-05 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Maram B Hakoum; Lama Bou-Karroum; Mounir Al-Gibbawi; Assem M Khamis; Abdul Sattar Raslan; Sanaa Badour; Arnav Agarwal; Fadel Alturki; Gordon Guyatt; Fadi El-Jardali; Elie A Akl Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2020-07-19 Impact factor: 2.692