Financial Disclosures in Academic Publications and the Sunshine Act: A Concordance Study
Claudine Yee
Section of Ophthalmology, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island, USA and Division of Ophthalmology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Paul B. Greenberg *
Section of Ophthalmology, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island, USA and Division of Ophthalmology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Curtis E. Margo
Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Ophthalmology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Dustin D. French
Center for Healthcare Studies, Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research and Development, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To assess the concordance between conflicts of interest reported by physicians in three major scientific journals and industry-reported payments available through the Open Payments Program (OPP) database.
Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional surveys.
Place and Duration of Study: United States allopathic and osteopathic physicians with publications in American Journal of Ophthalmology, JAMA Ophthalmology, and Ophthalmology accepted after January 1, 2014 and published from May 2014 through October 2014.
Methodology: We compared physicians’ self-reported conflicts of interest in their academic publications to industry-reported payments in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services OPP database. Authors were categorized based on concordance between self-reported disclosures and payments listed in the database. Payments were designated as disclosed or undisclosed.
Results: Of the 670 authors surveyed, 367 (54.8%) were in perfect concordance with the OPP database; 68 (10.1%) authors made disclosures beyond those in the database but had no undisclosed ties; 235 (35.1%) authors had one or more undisclosed payments. Disclosed and undisclosed payments totaled $1.46 million and $1.81 million, respectively.
Conclusion: In three major ophthalmology journals, a significant discrepancy exists between conflicts of interest reported by physician authors and payments found in the OPP database. This lack of concordance raises concerns about incomplete physician disclosure, inaccurate reporting, inadequate vetting, and ambiguity over financial relevance, all of which undermine confidence in the disclosure process.
Keywords: Conflict of interest, sunshine act, financial disclosure, transparency