Avoiding the pitfalls of sponsored multicentre research in general practice.

Research in general practice is becoming increasingly popular, and most general practitioners will sooner or later have to decide whether to become involved with clinical trials sponsored by drug companies. This paper outlines the advantages and disadvantages of multicentre research--based on experience of running a research group since the early 1980s--to enable doctors to reach the appropriate decision and to avoid involvement in trials which are either unethical or ineffective.