A high proportion of physicians who publish in the journal Radiology do not disclose industry ties that could potentially be perceived as conflicts of interest, according to a new analysis published Monday.
A total of 513 authors wrote 68 articles in the noted imaging journal during the first five months of 2021. Out of those authors, about 38% (or 199 individuals) received payments from industry entities, according to CMS’s Open Payments database.
Of 199 authorships receiving payments, 64% (128) did not disclose such relationships in their Radiology article and 26% detailed “only some,” researchers wrote in Clinical Imaging [1].
“In conclusion, this preliminary investigation reveals a high rate of nondisclosure of industry payments to radiology authors,” Dheeman Futela, a research affiliate at the Yale University School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote Oct. 17. “Further investigation is needed to assess if similar proportion of nondisclosures apply to other journals. The relevance of actual payments to the published study, and accuracy/validity of potential conflict of interest relevant to the disclosures, also needs further study.”
The nearly 200 authors received 2,918 payments totaling more than $32.8 million and ranging from just $0.01 to over $945,000. Median total amount received per author was about $10,600, with the “food and beverage” category representing the largest number of payments (1,577). Meanwhile, research payouts represented the largest dollar amount, totaling over $21.8 million to 89 authors (or a median of $76,000). Ownership payments totaled another $5.1 million to four authorships, and the “general” category was $5.9 million to 191 more. Consulting work represented the largest contributor to the latter category, the study noted.
“Limitations include possible trainees listed as authors, and payments to trainees are excluded, likely attenuating the observed nondisclosure rates,” Futela et al. cautioned. “The [Open Payments database] also does not capture remuneration from entities for products or services that are not covered by the Food and Drug Administration, or remuneration to non-U.S.-based authors.”
Update: RSNA shared the following statement, attributed to Radiology Editor Linda Moy, MD:
“As published on our journal website online, Radiology follows the industry standard for author disclosure and editorial policies provided by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ 'Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals.' All authors of manuscripts accepted for publication are required to submit a completed ICMJE Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest Form. Following best practices, each author must describe any direct financial interest that author has in the subject matter discussed in the submitted manuscript and any affiliation or financial involvement that author has with or in any organization having a direct financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the submitted manuscript.”
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.