title: The prevalence of corporate funding in adult lower extremity research and its correlation with reported results.
abstract: The author reviewed 603 consecutive articles and scientific presentations pertaining to adult lower extremity orthopedic research from 2 major American orthopedic journals and 2 major American orthopedic meetings. The prevalence of commercial funding in these studies was 50%. Clinical studies of total hip arthroplasty implants by American investigators were commercially sponsored in 75% of studies. Commercially funded hip research reported positive outcomes in 93% of studies, whereas independently funded researchers reported good results in only 37%. Funded clinical studies of total knee arthroplasty implants yielded good results in 75%; this is in contrast to the findings of independently funded investigators, who reported positive conclusions in only 20% of studies. Investigators receiving royalties reported no negative outcomes related to the respective devices. The source of research funding was strongly correlated with reported outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, California, USA.
authors.forename: Kace A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ezzet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D030881:Disclosure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000191:economics*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States