Association between pharmaceutical support and basic science research on erythropoiesis-stimulating agents

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Biomedical Research

Background:

• Basic science research raised concerns about cancer stimulation with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs).
• No prior research evaluated pharmaceutical funding's association with basic science findings on ESAs.
• This study investigated industry funding's impact on reported ESA effects on cancer cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between pharmaceutical industry funding and basic science research findings on erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs).
• To determine if funding source influences the reported outcomes of ESA effects on cancer cells in vitro.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of MEDLINE and EMBASE (1988-2008) for basic science studies on ESAs in solid tumors.
• Analyzed outcomes including erythropoietin receptors (EpoRs), signaling events, and cellular function.
• Categorized study funding: no industry funding, academic funding from manufacturers, and manufacturer-employed investigators.

Main Results:

• Investigators without industry funding were more likely to identify EpoRs on tumor cells (100%) compared to funded academic (60%) or employed investigators (67%).
• Non-funded researchers more frequently reported Epo-induced signaling events (94%) and cellular function changes (57%) attributed to ESAs.
• Studies without industry funding were more likely to conclude potentially harmful effects of ESAs on cancer cells (57%).

Conclusions:

• Lack of pharmaceutical industry support correlated with identifying detrimental in vitro effects of ESAs.
• Researchers without industry funding were more likely to report negative impacts of ESAs on cancer cells.
• Potential conflicts of interest may influence basic science research outcomes regarding ESAs.