Hidden Sources of Private Industry Funding

PURPOSE The purpose of this survey was to determine the scope of supportive care services (SCS) designed to promote quality of life during cancer therapies at National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers. METHODS A survey was mailed to the medical directors and nursing directors of 52 NCI-designated comprehensive (n = 26), clinical (n = 11), and planning cancer centers (n = 15) in the United States. Only one survey was completed from each institution. Survey questions identified services provided such as pain management, terminal care, psychosocial programs, and spiritual care. RESULTS Thirty-nine questionnaires were received for a total response rate of 75%. Of the respondents, 45% were comprehensive cancer centers, 24% clinical cancer centers, and 29% planning centers. One center did not identify their NCI designation. Sixty-one percent of the centers reported research programs in supportive care. Outside funding was reported in 51% of the respondents, with 39% having American Cancer Society (ACS) or National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and 28% having private industry funding. Overall SCS self-ratings improved from a 21% rating of excellent to very good 5 years ago to the current 54% rating. CONCLUSION Survey results provide data on SCS across a representative sample of NCI cancer centers and can be used to develop standards for future cancer control programs.

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Aesthetic Surgery Research Funding: Where Does it Come From and to Whom Does It Go?

Aesthetic Surgery Journal ◽

10.1093/asj/sjaa335 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob B Hammond ◽

Valerie L Armstrong ◽

Kaley McMullen ◽

Robert W Bernard ◽

Chad M Teven

Keyword(s):

Reconstructive Surgery ◽

Private Practice ◽

Research Funding ◽

Aesthetic Surgery ◽

Academic Institutions ◽

Industry Funding ◽

Private Industry ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Or Practice ◽

Surgery Research

Abstract Background Recent data show that aesthetic surgery research is lagging in comparison to reconstructive surgery: research funding and institutional disparities within aesthetic surgery are potential factors in this trend. Objectives To determine if disparities exist in aesthetic surgery research based on funding sources or practice settings. Methods Aesthetic Surgery Journal articles from 2009-2019 were reviewed. Chi-square, t-test, bivariate and multivariate regression analyses evaluated research trends. Results A total of 2,262 publications were identified, with 318 funded articles meeting inclusion criteria. Majority of studies (294, 92%) received external funding, with 281 (88%) being supported solely by external funds. Externally funded studies were financed by private industry (194, 66%), foundations/societies (53, 18%), government grants (23, 8%), or a combination of agencies (24, 8%). Majority of funded studies were at academic institutions (266, 84%), followed by private practice (46, 14%) and private industry (6, 2%). Analysis of annual publications revealed a rising percentage of academic-based research, which correlated with decreasing research from private practice (r= -0.95, r 2= 0.89, P<0.001). Compared to academic institutions, private practice relied more heavily on industry funding (55% vs. 87% respectively, P=0.001), exhibiting lower rates of foundational/societal (20% vs. 2%), governmental (9% vs. 0%), combined (8% vs. 7%), and internal department funding (8% vs. 4%). Article citations and level of evidence were unaffected by funding source, agency, or practice setting. Conclusions Lack of diversity in research funding among private practice surgeons may explain the reported discrepancies that currently exist between aesthetic and reconstructive surgery research.

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Changing the face of short fiber –a review of the eucalyptus revolution

TAPPI Journal ◽

10.32964/tj14.6.353 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 14 (6) ◽

pp. 353-359 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

PETER W. HART ◽

RICARDO B. SANTOS

Keyword(s):

Fossil Fuels ◽

Wood Quality ◽

Short Fiber ◽

Fiber Volume ◽

Private Industry ◽

High Productivity ◽

Paper Manufacturing ◽

Short Rotation ◽

Eucalypt Plantations ◽

Eucalyptus Plantations

Eucalyptus plantations have been used as a source of short fiber for papermaking for more than 40 years. The development in genetic improvement and clonal programs has produced improved density plantations that have resulted in fast growing, increased fiber volume eucalypts becoming the most widely used source of short fibers in the world. High productivity and short rotation times, along with the uniformity and improved wood quality of clonal plantations have attracted private industry investment in eucalypt plantations. Currently, only a handful of species or hybrids are used in plantation efforts. Many more species are being evaluated to either enhance fiber properties or expand the range of eucalypt plantations. Eucalyptus plantations are frequently planted on nonforested land and may be used, in part, as a means of conserving native forests while allowing the production of high quality fiber for economic uses. Finally, eucalypt plantations can provide significant carbon sinks, which may be used to help offset the carbon released from burning fossil fuels. The development and expansion of eucalypt plantations represents a substantial revolution in pulp and paper manufacturing.

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HARMONISING PUBLIC PROCUREMENT IN THE SADC

Journal of Law Society and Development ◽

10.25159/2520-9515/876 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 90-109

Author(s):

Stephen De la Harpe

Keyword(s):

International Trade ◽

Free Trade ◽

Public Procurement ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Government Procurement ◽

Substantial Part ◽

Private Industry ◽

Regional Competition ◽

Model Law ◽

Opening Up

The promotion of international trade is seen as one of the important instruments to ensure development in developing nations and regions. The history of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the drafting of many regional and similar international trade agreements are evidence of this. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is no exception.1 It is therefore strange that many states that are members of the WTO and actively encourage the opening up of international borders to free trade do not include public procurement2 in such free trade arrangements. This is particularly evident in developing states. If the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), which is a plurilateral agreement, is considered it is clear that many states do not wish to open their internal markets to competition in the public procurement sphere. It is therefore not surprising that public procurement has been described as the last rampart of state protectionism (Ky, 2012). Public procurement is an important segment of trade in any country (Arrowsmith & Davies, 1998). It is estimated that public procurement represents between 10% and 15% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of developed countries and up to 25% of GDP in developing states (Wittig, 1999). Unfortunately, governments often expect private industry to open up national markets for international competition but do not lead the way. Except for the limited use of pooled procurement,3 no specific provision is at present made for the harmonisation and integration of public procurement in the SADC. In view of the proximity of the member states, the interdependency of their economies and the benefits that can be derived from opening up their boundaries to regional competition in public procurement, the possibility of harmonisation and deeper integration in this sphere needs to be given more attention. The importance of public procurement in international trade and regional integration is twofold: first, it forms a substantial part of trade with the related economic and developmental implications; secondly, it is used by governments as an instrument to address socio-economic issues. Public procurement spending is also important because of its potential influence on human rights, including aspects such as the alleviation of poverty, the achievement of acceptable labour standards and environmental goals, and similar issues (McCrudden, 1999). In this article the need to harmonise public procurement in the SADC in order to open up public procurement to regional competition, some of the obstacles preventing this, and possible solutions are discussed. Reference is made to international instruments such as the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the Model Law on Public Procurement and the GPA. In particular, the progress made in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) with regard to the harmonisation of public procurement, which was based on the Model Law, will be used to suggest possible solutions to the problem of harmonising public procurement in the SADC.

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Right Sourcing in Nebraska: Growing Government or Private Industry?

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.2700953 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Ernest Goss ◽

Edward A. Morse

Keyword(s):

Private Industry

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Increasing Winery Growth and Wastewater Regulations in Washington State Inspire Municipality to Collaborate with Private Industry

Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation ◽

10.2175/193864717822155533 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 (16) ◽

pp. 197-203

Author(s):

Shannon Jessica

Keyword(s):

Washington State ◽

Private Industry

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The French Nitrogen Industry during the Interwar Period: The Ambiguous Relationship between the State and Manufacturers

Jahrbuch für Wirtschaftsgeschichte / Economic History Yearbook ◽

10.1515/jbwg-2021-0008 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 191-212

Author(s):

Michael Llopart

Keyword(s):

Market Competition ◽

The State ◽

Nitrogen Fertilizers ◽

Private Industry ◽

Public And Private ◽

The Public ◽

The First World War ◽

French Case ◽

International Cartel ◽

First World

Abstract At the end of the First World War, the French government seized the opportunity to acquire the chemical processes of the German firm BASF, including the Haber-Bosch process. This patent made it possible to synthesize nitrogen from the air and thus produce nitrogen fertilizers in large quantities. French industrialists, however, refused to acquire these patents, and to make up for this lack of private sector involvement, the French Parliament decided in 1924 to create a national plant (ONIA), which became the first state-owned plant to be exposed to market competition. The intention was for the ONIA to supply the army with nitric acid in times of war, and, in peacetime, to sell fertilizers at the lowest possible prices in order to curb the monopoly of the private industry cartel. The purpose of this article is therefore to study the establishment and organisation of the French market for nitrogen fertilisers during the inter-war period by raising a number of questions about the ambiguous and complex relations between the state and private industry in this strategic sector. Why was the state policy initiated with the ONIA not successful at first? From 1927-1928, once the ONIA was operational, why and how did the public and private players jointly organise the marketing of fertilisers even though their interests were partially divergent? From the economic crisis of the 1930s onwards, how did the regulation of this mixed market evolve and how were public/private tensions overcome? In the French case, why did French producers leave the international cartel very early on in favour of state protectionism? And finally, to what extent can it be said that this “managed economy” framework succeeded in satisfying all the players in the French nitrogen industry?

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Testing for non-inferior mortality: a systematic review of non-inferiority margin sizes and trial characteristics

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044480 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e044480

Author(s):

Sandra Pong ◽

Martin Urner ◽

Robert A Fowler ◽

Nicholas Mitsakakis ◽

Winnie Seto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Primary Outcome ◽

Absolute Risk ◽

Methodological Issue ◽

Medical Specialty ◽

Risk Difference ◽

Baseline Risk ◽

Industry Funding ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Randomised Controlled

ObjectiveTo describe the size and variability of non-inferiority margins used in non-inferiority trials of medications with primary outcomes involving mortality, and to examine the association between trial characteristics and non-inferiority margin size.DesignSystematic review.Data sourcesMedline, Medline In Process, Medline Epub Ahead of Print and Embase Classic+Embase databases from January 1989 to December 2019.Eligibility criteriaProspective non-inferiority randomised controlled trials comparing pharmacological therapies, with primary analyses for non-inferiority and primary outcomes involving mortality alone or as part of a composite outcome. Trials had to prespecify non-inferiority margins as absolute risk differences or relative to risks of outcome and provide a baseline risk of primary outcome in the control intervention.Results3992 records were screened, 195 articles were selected for full text review and 111 articles were included for analyses. 82% of trials were conducted in thrombosis, infectious diseases or oncology. Mortality was the sole primary outcome in 23 (21%) trials, and part of a composite primary outcome in 88 (79%) trials. The overall median non-inferiority margin was an absolute risk difference of 9% (IQR 4.2%–10%). When non-inferiority margins were expressed relative to the baseline risk of primary outcome in control groups, the median relative non-inferiority margin was 1.5 (IQR 1.3–1.7). In multivariable regression analyses examining the association between trial characteristics (medical specialty, inclusion of paediatric patients, mortality as a sole or part of a composite primary outcome, presence of industry funding) and non-inferiority margin size, only medical specialty was significantly associated with non-inferiority margin size.ConclusionAbsolute and relative non-inferiority margins used in published trials comparing medications are large, allowing conclusions of non-inferiority in the context of large differences in mortality. Accepting the potential for large increases in outcomes involving mortality while declaring non-inferiority is a challenging methodological issue in the conduct of non-inferiority trials.

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10.B. Workshop: Corporate influence on science – what is happening and what can be done?

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.502 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

◽

Keyword(s):

Fossil Fuels ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Research Process ◽

Policy Outcomes ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

Industry Funding ◽

Corporate Influence ◽

Pharmaceutical Industries ◽

The Impact ◽

Funding Research

Abstract The role of the corporate sector in research sponsorship is growing. So too is the evidence that corporations whose products are potentially damaging to health or the environment influence science and the ways in which science is used in policy and practice. Such efforts are a key part of corporate attempts to maintain or increase the consumption or use of industry products, and to secure favourable policy outcomes. The products and practices of corporations are responsible for a growing proportion of the global disease burden. Non-communicable diseases, many driven by consumption of unhealthy commodities and exposure to chemicals, account for over 73 percent of global deaths. It is increasingly important to understand the complex and multifaceted ways corporations seek to influence science; the impact these strategies have; and the ways this influence can be addressed. This workshop brings together global experts to explore these issues. Drawing on examples from several industries (e.g. tobacco, alcohol, food, and pharmaceuticals), it aims to: Increase understanding of the ways corporations whose products are potentially damaging to health influence science. We present a newly developed, evidence-based typology which draws together the vast existing literature in this field, to present a simplified way of understanding corporate influence on science. Delegates will be provided with materials that provide a means for recognising such influence.Examine the influence that corporations have on the first stage in the research process - research agendas. We present examples from tobacco, food and pharmaceutical industries which illustrate the mechanism through which industry funding of science drives researchers to study questions that are favourable to industry. The desired outcome is to maximise research on the benefits of industry products (positioning these products as solutions to complex problems), minimise research on the harms of their products, support their policy and legal positions, and impede potential regulation of their products.Increase awareness of the involvement that corporations have had in altering the mechanisms though which science is used in policymaking. Delegates will hear how corporations promoted and embedded policymaking reforms which increase reliance on and provide a conduit for industry-favourable science.Suggest ways forward concerning management of conflicts of interest in the publication of health research. Here we will discuss the roles that journals can play in governing conflicts of interest and issues of transparency in the publication of academic research.Suggest ways forward for funding research on unhealthy commodities. We present criteria for tobacco industry-supported research funding programs, and discuss the applicability of similar programs for funding research on other unhealthy commodities, and on the practices of other industries such as the fossil fuels industry. Key messages Corporations have been seen to skew evidence bases, manipulate interpretations of science, and influence use of science in policy and practice – such influence is a major threat to public health. This workshop exposes industry tactics in this area and begins to identify ways for dealing with them.

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