Selective Publication

1489 Words3 Pages

Publication bias is, “the tendency on the part of investigators, reviewers, and editors to submit or accept manuscripts for publication based on the direction or strength of the study findings” (Dickersin, 1990). It is also called the “file-drawer effect” because it is taught unpublished results being tucked in file cabinets by researchers could cause invalid meta-analysis of that research (Scargle, 1999). Many studies confirm publication bias is a serious issue such as the study by Oregon Health and Science university researchers which examined the trail approval process for 12 separate antidepressants submitted to the FDA (Turner, 2008). They found that only 3/36 trails with negative findings were published compared to 37/38 of positive trails. Publishing negative findings is essential to interpret the overall significance of field of research and this issue needs to be resolved.
There are numerous concerns with Publication bias. Research is becoming less innovative and its neutrality is decreasing. Well-conducted studies may be repeated unnecessarily due to higher under-reporting of negative studies. Reviews of published data have become increasingly skewed by this imbalance in reporting. It wastes valuable time, resources, and funding that could be used on other beneficial research. Another concern is that doctors could make health-costly decisions due to overestimation of benefit and underestimation of harm caused by negative results not being published. The famous cover up of anti-inflammatory drug Rofecoxib’s negative effects (Vioxx) is an example of how withholding negative results can hurt patients (Curfman, 2005). Rofecoxib was prescribed to 80 million people. After 5 years, it was revealed that founding company, Merck,...

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Scargle, Jeffrey D. "Publication Bias (The" File-Drawer Problem") in Scientific Inference." arXiv preprint physics/9909033 (1999).

Song, Fujian, Lee Hooper, and Yoon K. Loke. "Publication Bias: What Is It? How Do We Measure It? How Do We Avoid It?" Dovepress Journal, July 2013. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.

Turner, Erick H., et al. "Selective publication of antidepressant trials and its influence on apparent efficacy." New England Journal of Medicine 358.3 (2008): 252-260.

Watkins, Tom. "Papers Indicate Firm Knew Possible Prozac Suicide Risk." CNN. Cable News Network, 3 Jan. 2005. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.

Wood, Susan F., and Kristen L. Perosino. "Increasing transparency at the FDA: the impact of the FDA Amendments Act of 2007." Public health reports123.4 (2008): 527.

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