title: Conflicts of Interest in GM Bt Crop Efficacy and Durability Studies.
abstract: Public confidence in genetically modified (GM) crop studies is tenuous at best in many countries, including those of the European Union in particular. A lack of information about the effects of ties between academic research and industry might stretch this confidence to the breaking point. We therefore performed an analysis on a large set of research articles (n = 672) focusing on the efficacy or durability of GM Bt crops and ties between the researchers carrying out these studies and the GM crop industry. We found that ties between researchers and the GM crop industry were common, with 40% of the articles considered displaying conflicts of interest (COI). In particular, we found that, compared to the absence of COI, the presence of a COI was associated with a 50% higher frequency of outcomes favorable to the interests of the GM crop company. Using our large dataset, we were able to propose possible direct and indirect mechanisms behind this statistical association. They might notably include changes of authorship or funding statements after the results of a study have been obtained and a choice in the topics studied driven by industrial priorities.
authors.affiliation: Inra, Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Guillemaud
authors.affiliation: Inra, Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lombaert
authors.affiliation: Inra, UMR 1062 Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (CBGP) Inra-IRD-CIRAD-Montpellier SupAgro, 755 avenue du Campus Agropolis, CS, Montferrier / Lez cedex. France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bourguet
mesh_terms: D001319:Authorship / Q000592:standards; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000592:standards*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000592:standards