"He who pays the piper calls the tune": Researcher experiences of funder suppression of health behaviour intervention trial findings

PLoS One. 2021 Aug 18;16(8):e0255704. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255704. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Background: Governments commonly fund research with specific applications in mind. Such mechanisms may facilitate 'research translation' but funders may employ strategies that can also undermine the integrity of both science and government. We estimated the prevalence and investigated correlates of funder efforts to suppress health behaviour intervention trial findings.

Methods: Our sampling frame was lead or corresponding authors of papers (published 2007-2017) included in a Cochrane review, reporting findings from trials of interventions to improve nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, smoking, and substance use. Suppression events were based on a previous survey of public health academics. Participants answered questions concerning seven suppression events in their efforts to report the trial, e.g., [I was…] "asked to suppress certain findings as they were viewed as being unfavourable." We also examined the association between information on study funder, geographical location, targeted health behaviour, country democracy rating and age of publication with reported suppression.

Findings: We received responses from 104 authors (50%) of 208 eligible trials, from North America (34%), Europe (33%), Oceania (17%), and other countries (16%). Eighteen percent reported at least one of the seven suppression events relating to the trial in question. The most commonly reported suppression event was funder(s) expressing reluctance to publish because they considered the results 'unfavourable' (9% reported). We found no strong associations with the subject of research, funding source, democracy, region, or year of publication.

Conclusions: One in five researchers in this global sample reported being pressured to delay, alter, or not publish the findings of health behaviour intervention trials. Regulation of funder and university practices, establishing study registries, and compulsory disclosure of funding conditions in scientific journals, are needed to protect the integrity of public-good research.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alcoholism / prevention & control
  • Diet, Healthy
  • Europe
  • Exercise
  • Financial Management / trends*
  • Government Programs / economics
  • Health Behavior*
  • Humans
  • North America
  • Preventive Medicine / methods
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic*
  • Research Design*
  • Research Personnel / economics*
  • Sexual Health
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tobacco Use / prevention & control
  • Translational Research, Biomedical / economics*

Grants and funding

Professor Wolfenden is funded by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (APP1128348) and a Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (Award Number 101175). Infrastructure funding was provided by Hunter New England Population Health and The University of Newcastle. Professor Kypri was funded by a University of Newcastle Brawn Senior Research Fellowship for his input to this study. A/Prof Serene Yoong is funded by an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DE170100382).