Role of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Major Clinical Trials

Abstract

Most large clinical trials are financially supported by the pharmaceutical industry. Grant-giving bodies have limited funds and might well feel that projects other than expensive clinical trials will give a better academic return, and large trials are expensive. The industry perceives the financial risk to be worthwhile because the returns from a successful trial can be high. Relations between investigators and the sponsoring company are usually harmonious but this is not always so, and a code of practice might prove helpful.