Sponsor Influences on the Quality and Independence of Health Research

Governments, philanthropic organizations, and private industry fund human health and medical research. Various funding sources might bias research so that the results are more favorable to their agents. Funders may influence investigative scope, specific questions posed, experimental design, and principal investigator appointments. Reporting, analysis, dissemination, and communication and data availability, reanalysis, and replication can also experience bias from a funding source. To explore structures, processes, and principles to ensure high-quality health research independent of sponsor influence, the National Academies Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice and the Board on Health Sciences Policy hosted a public virtual workshop in December 2022 that examined the sources of funding for health research and evidence on whether they influence the quality and outcomes of resulting health research. The workshop also discussed models, process, and principles used to protect the independence and quality of research. This Proceedings summarizes the discussions held during the workshop.