Factors influencing the participation of gastroenterologists and hepatologists in clinical research.
BACKGROUND
Although clinical research is integral to the advancement of medical knowledge, physicians face a variety of obstacles to their participation as investigators in clinical trials. We examined factors that influence the participation of gastroenterologists and hepatologists in clinical research.


METHODS
We surveyed 1050 members of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases regarding their participation in clinical research. We compared the survey responses by specialty and level of clinical trial experience.


RESULTS
A majority of the respondents (71.6%) reported involvement in research activities. Factors most influential in clinical trial participation included funding and compensation (88.3%) and intellectual pursuit (87.8%). Barriers to participation were similar between gastroenterologists (n = 160) and hepatologists (n = 189) and between highly experienced (n = 62) and less experienced (n = 159) clinical researchers. These barriers included uncompensated research costs and lack of specialized support. Industry marketing was a greater influence among respondents with less trial experience, compared to those with extensive experience (15.7% vs 1.6%; P < .01). Hepatologists and respondents with extensive clinical trial experience tended to be more interested in phase 1 and 2 studies, whereas gastroenterologists and less experienced investigators were more interested in phase 4 studies.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the greatest barrier to participation in clinical research is lack of adequate resources. Respondents also favored industry-sponsored research with less complex trial protocols and studies of relatively short duration.
Duke Clinical Research Institute, PO Box 17969, Durham, North Carolina, USA. anouk.dev@med.monash.edu.au
Anouk T
AT
Dev
Teresa L
TL
Kauf
Amany
A
Zekry
Keyur
K
Patel
Karen
K
Heller
Kevin A
KA
Schulman
John G
JG
McHutchison
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004345:Drug Industry; D005006:Ethnicity; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons