Problems Alleged in Australian Multinational-Funded R&D

A report authored by the University of Newcastle, Australia, has claimed that "questionable" activities exist within that the country's well-established pharmaceutical R&D sector. The survey of more than 800 respondents with a working relationship with the sector follows heavy criticism by public bodies in the US, and by the UK's parliament.

The report cites several key "ethically dubious" activities in the country's AUD450mn (US$356mn) drug R&D industry. One of the most frequently reported outcomes was the unreported early termination of trials, related to studies showing a lack of efficacy in drug candidate studies. The survey also cited unacceptably long delays in publishing negative trial results, as well as selective results reporting and changes to study protocols while studies were already under way.

Fellow academics in Australia now argue that, while the overwhelming majority of respondents reported no ethical problems at all, a move to greater government sponsorship of research would improve ethical standards. Government research spending in Australia is currently rising, although whether this will ever match the private sector remains in doubt. In general, it appears that the "commercial imperatives" within Australian R&D are set to remain a long-term reality.