-- Commercial funding was not found to be associated with a positive study outcome. -- Studies with a positive outcome were no more likely to be published than were those with a negative outcome. -- Studies with a negative outcome were of higher quality and included larger sample sizes. -- Commercially-funded and U.S.-based studies were more likely to be published, even though they were not associated with higher quality, larger sample sizes or lower levels of evidence. -- Commercially-funded studies submitted for review were not more likely to conclude with a positive outcome than were non-funded studies."Our findings contradict most previous research analyses, where there was a higher proportion of articles published with positive outcomes," said Dr. Lynch. "This despite the increased emphasis that orthopaedic surgeons place on evidence-based approaches such as meta-analysis, cost-benefit modeling and decision analysis, all of which depend entirely on the absence of systematic biases and influences from nonscientific factors in the review process." In the current study, 208 articles were funded (54 commercially funded and 40 of those had a positive outcome). A total of 143 articles had received no funding (99 with a positive outcome). Of all articles with a positive outcome, 45 were accepted for publication. In comparison, 18 of the 49 studies with a non-positive outcome were accepted. "The strengths of our study were that we reviewed submitted manuscripts within a subspecialty," said Dr. Lynch. "It appears that the peer-reviewed process does not suffer from severe positive outcome bias and the impact of commercial funding on research is less pronounced that previously suspected. It is quite conceivable, however, that the findings in the present report cannot be generalized to other subspecialties within or outside of orthopaedic surgery." For more information about AAOS, please go to: http://www6.aaos.org/news/Pemr/boiler.cfm?MeetingNum=8
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