The recent study published in JAMA unveils an important facet of academic publishing by scrutinising the financial connections between US peer reviewers and drug and medical device manufacturers. This examination sheds light on how these financial ties could potentially influence the integrity of the peer review process in major medical journals such as The BMJ, JAMA, The Lancet, and The New England Journal of Medicine.

Unveiling the Ties

The investigation revealed that between 2020 and 2022, a substantial 58.9% of peer reviewers received payments from the industry, with the majority being research payments. These payments totalled over $1 billion, raising concerns about the potential for conflicts of interest that could compromise the objectivity and authenticity of peer-reviewed publications.

Gender and Specialty Disparities

The study also highlighted disparities in payment distribution, with male reviewers receiving higher median payments than their female counterparts. Differences were also observed across various medical specialties, suggesting that financial incentives may not be uniformly distributed.

The Need for Transparency

The findings underscore the necessity for enhanced transparency in the peer review process. As Angel Gurría wisely stated, “Integrity, transparency and the fight against corruption have to be part of the culture. They have to be taught as fundamental values.” While most journals enforce conflict of interest policies for authors, fewer extend these to peer reviewers, despite their pivotal role in shaping the scientific discourse. Public disclosure of reviewer conflicts of interest remains rare, leaving room for potential bias and ethical dilemmas.

Looking at the financial connections of peer reviewers shows we need to improve current practices to keep scientific publishing honest. As highlighted in a quote from Creatosaurus, “We have examined a number of ethical issues. We have seen that many accepted practices are open to serious objections. What ought we to do about it?”
Being open and honest helps people trust medical research, which is good for health and science.

Source: Jama Network