Potential participants in trials of MS therapies want to know about conflicts of interest
TUESDAY, March 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Disclosure of physician-industry relationships is important for potential participants in multiple sclerosis clinical trials and may impact participation in these trials, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
Andrew J. Solomon, M.D., from the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and colleagues used an anonymous online instrument to examine attitudes of 597 patients with multiple sclerosis concerning disclosure of potential physician-industry conflicts of interest created by clinical trials. The authors further assessed the impact of disclosure of these conflicts of interest on study participation.
The researchers found that detailed disclosure of conflicts of interest was important for potential participants in industry-sponsored trials for multiple sclerosis therapies. The presence of these conflicts might influence patient participation in these trials.
“Findings from this study support a call for uniform guidelines regarding disclosure of physician-industry relationships to prospective research participants for industry-sponsored clinical trials,” the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
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