Quantitative analysis of sponsorship bias in economic studies of antidepressants
C Bruce Baker1, Michael T Johnsrud, M Lynn Crismon
1Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, and Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut 06519, USA. Bruce.Baker@Yale.edu
Background:
Concern is widespread about potential sponsorship influence on research, especially in pharmacoeconomic studies. Quantitative analysis of possible bias in such studies is limited.
Aims:
To determine whether there is an association between sponsorship and quantitative outcomes in pharmacoeconomic studies of antidepressants.
Method:
Using all identifiable articles with original comparative quantitative cost or cost-effectiveness outcomes for antidepressants, we performed contingency table analyses of study sponsorship and design v. study outcome.
Results:
Studies sponsored by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) manufacturers favoured SSRIs over tricyclic antidepressants more than non-industry-sponsored studies. Studies sponsored by manufacturers of newer antidepressants favoured these drugs more than did non-industry-sponsored studies. Among industry-sponsored studies, modelling studies favoured the sponsor's drug more than did administrative studies. Industry-sponsored modelling studies were more favourable to industry than were non-industry-sponsored ones.
Conclusions:
Pharmacoeconomic studies of antidepressants reveal clear associations of study sponsorship with quantitative outcome.
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