title: Fate of protocols submitted to a French national funding scheme: a cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The fate of clinical research projects funded by a grant has been investigated, but there is no information on the projects which did not receive funding. The fate of these projects is not known: do they apply for and/or receive funding from other sources or are they carried out without specific funding?
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to describe all clinical research projects submitted to a French national funding scheme (PHRC 2000) and to assess project initiation, completion and publication status taking into account whether or not they received funding.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a retrospective cohort. The initial project characteristics were retrieved from the submission files and follow-up information was collected from the primary investigator. The percentages of projects started, completed and published were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 481 projects were studied. Follow-up information was obtained for 366. Overall, 185 projects were initiated (51%); 139 of them were funded by the PHRC 2000 or other sources. The most commonly cited reason for not initiating a project was a lack of funding. Subsequently, 121 of the projects initiated were completed (65%). Accrual difficulties were the main reason cited to explain why studies were stopped prematurely or were still ongoing. Finally, 88 of the completed projects were published (73%). Amongst the completed projects, the only factor explaining publication was the statistical significance of the results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obtainment of funding was a determining factor for project initiation. However, once initiated, the funding did not influence completion or publication.
authors: Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pôle Information Médicale Evaluation Recherche, Unité de Recherche Clinique, Lyon, France; Université de Lyon, RECIF, EAM Santé Individu Société 4128, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
authors: Evelyne
authors: E
authors: Decullier
authors: Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pôle Information Médicale Evaluation Recherche, Unité de Recherche Clinique, Lyon, France; Université de Lyon, RECIF, EAM Santé Individu Société 4128, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
authors: Laure
authors: L
authors: Huot
authors: Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pôle Information Médicale Evaluation Recherche, Unité de Recherche Clinique, Lyon, France; Université de Lyon, RECIF, EAM Santé Individu Société 4128, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
authors: François R
authors: FR
authors: Chapuis
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005602:France