Avoiding Bias in the Conduct and Reporting of Cost-Effectiveness Research Sponsored by Pharmaceutical Companies

Abstract

As focus grows on containing health care costs, companies are eager\nto demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of their products. Hillman explores the\nrelationship between the pharmaceutical industry and academia in\nindustry-sponsored economic analysis, relating examples of potential bias in\nresearch, and approaching the question of regulation of economic analysis. He\npoints out that unlike clinical trials, economic analyses involve subjective\ncriteria, use unstandardized, selective, and variable data, and are overseen\nby marketing divisions, not scientific ones. Pressure on researchers to\nproduce favorable findings is applied by the pharmaceutical industry, peers,\neditors, and academic institutions. Hillman suggests an eight-point standard\nprotocol for economic analysis which aims at minimizing bias in the\nrelationship between industry and investigators. (KIE abstract)