BMJ  2003;327:1017 (1 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7422.1017

Paper

Descriptive survey of non-commercial randomised controlled trials in the United Kingdom, 1980-2002

¹ UK Randomised Controlled Trial Registration Project, UK Cochrane Centre, Oxford OX2 7LG, ² Medical Research Council and Medical Research Charities Subproject, UK Randomised Controlled Trial Registration Project, ³ Department of Health and NHS Subproject, UK Randomised Controlled Trial Registration Project

Objectives To describe the characteristics of randomised controlled trials supported by the main non-commercial sources of funding in the United Kingdom between 1980 and 2002.

Design Descriptive survey.

Setting Randomised controlled trials funded by the Medical Research Council, NHS research and development programme, Department of Health, Chief Scientist Office in Scotland, and medical research charities.

Participants 1464 randomised controlled trials supported by the main non-commercial sources of funding.

Results Support for randomised controlled trials by the main sources of non-commercial funding in the United Kingdom has fallen in recent years, without any concomitant increase in the sample sizes of these studies. Drug trials in a limited range of health problems have dominated among the studies supported by the Medical Research Council and medical research charities. Until recently, the NHS research and development programme supported randomised controlled trials of various healthcare interventions, in a wide range of health problems, but between 1999 and 2002 many of the subprogrammes that had commissioned trials were discontinued.

Conclusions The future of non-commercial randomised controlled trials in the United Kingdom has been threatened by the discontinuation or demise of national and regional NHS research and development programmes. Support also seems to be declining from the Medical Research Council and the medical research charities. It is unclear what the future holds for randomised controlled trials that address issues of no interest to industry but are of great importance to patients and practitioners.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Decline in mortality in children with HIV in the UK and Ireland: Argument is flawed

S W P Mhlongo and P M H Maduna
BMJ 2004 328: 523. [Extract] [Full Text]

Academic medicine: time for reinvention: MRC aims to give NHS evidence from randomised clinical trials

Colin Blakemore and Iain Chalmers
BMJ 2004 328: 49. [Extract] [Full Text]

Academic medicine: time for reinvention: Summary of responses

Jocalyn Clark
BMJ 2004 328: 49. [Extract] [Full Text]

Non-commercial randomised clinical trials need money for meetings and travel expenses

Ian H Kunkler
BMJ 2003 327: 1349. [Extract] [Full Text]

Fewer trials supported by non-commercial funders
BMJ 2003 327: 0. [Full Text]

Reinvention starts here

Tony Delamothe
BMJ 2003 327: 0. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Duley, L., Antman, K., Arena, J., Avezum, A., Blumenthal, M., Bosch, J., Chrolavicius, S., Li, T., Ounpuu, S., Perez, A. C., Sleight, P., Svard, R., Temple, R., Tsouderous, Y., Yunis, C., Yusuf, S. (2008). Specific barriers to the conduct of randomized trials. Clin Trials 5: 40-48 [Abstract]  
• Scadding, J. W (2006). The James Lind Alliance: an opportunity for neurologists in therapeutic research?. PN 6: 68-71 [Full text]  
• Geddes, J. R, Cipriani, A. (2004). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. BMJ 329: 809-810 [Full text]  
• Canter, P., Ernst, E (2004). Clinical trials and tribulations. JRSM 97: 101-102 [Full text]  
• Mhlongo, S W P, Maduna, P M H (2004). Decline in mortality in children with HIV in the UK and Ireland: Argument is flawed. BMJ 328: 523-523 [Full text]  
• Blakemore, C., Chalmers, I. (2004). Academic medicine: time for reinvention: MRC aims to give NHS evidence from randomised clinical trials. BMJ 328: 49-49 [Full text]  
• Clark, J. (2004). Academic medicine: time for reinvention: Summary of responses. BMJ 328: 49-49 [Full text]  
• Currie, C. (2003). Clinical arithmetic. BMJ 327: 1418-1419 [Full text]  
• Kunkler, I. H (2003). Non-commercial randomised clinical trials need money for meetings and travel expenses. BMJ 327: 1349-1349 [Full text]  
• Bell, J. (2003). Resuscitating clinical research in the United Kingdom. BMJ 327: 1041-1043 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Research Tax for Those Who Thrive on the Health Industry.

Carol A Teasdale
bmj.com, 30 Oct 2003 [Full text]

What is the solution for funding of research work in medicine?

A.K. Al-Sheikhli.
bmj.com, 31 Oct 2003 [Full text]

Encouraging non commercial randomised clinical trials

Ian H kunkler
bmj.com, 17 Nov 2003 [Full text]

Meeting the need of the NHS for evidence from randomised clinical trials

Colin Blakemore, et al.
bmj.com, 4 Dec 2003 [Full text]