Both the number of studies and percentage of funding for primary care low
FRIDAY, May 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — An evaluation of funding cycles (7 through 14) from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) shows that relatively low levels of primary care research studies are funded, according to a study published April 15 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Andrew Balster, from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and colleagues evaluated funding from PCORI from 2015 to 2018 to determine the type and focus of PCORI-funded research. Publicly available project summaries were reviewed for 250 trials funded during cycles 7 through 14.
The researchers found that only 24 percent of trials were considered related to primary care. More than three-quarters of the trials (77.2 percent) were characterized as comparative effectiveness research. Of the $1.18 billion distributed by PCORI during the study period, less than one-third of the funds (30 percent) were distributed to studies related to primary care.
“PCORI, through greater attention to questions performed in and relevant to the centerpiece of patient care and delivery, will be better serving its mission and able to persuade not only patient advocates, but also cost-cutting, value-minded policymakers to extend its existence,” the authors write.
One author has previously applied for PCORI grants and has served on PCORI review committees; the author also disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
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