Maintaining integrity and credibility in industry-sponsored clinical research

There have been recent, heightened concerns about the integrity and credibility of industry-sponsored clinical research. While attributable to a variety of factors, the potential consequences are a decrease in the ability of the biomedical research enterprise to produce innovative methods for the diagnosis and treatment of disease, with possible adverse implications for the health and well-being of the public. A specific example of a recent industry-sponsored clinical trial is presented as an approach to attempt to avoid any suggestion of fraud, error, or biased interpretation, in a way in which the integrity of the process will not be called into question and the credibility of the results will be maximized.