A study by Australian scientists published in the medical science research journal ‘JAMA Oncology ‘ has revealed that it is impossible to access the trial data of major pharmaceutical companies that manufacture anti-cancer drugs needed by scientists regarding the treatment of cancer.
Australian experts believe that the lack of transparency in clinical trials of anti-cancer drugs by pharmaceutical companies may have to pay in the form of health damages and data sharing of clinical trials by major cancer drug companies. This lack of transparency should be of concern to Australia.
A study conducted by Australia’s Flinders University reviewed data from clinical trials of 115 anticancer drugs from 304 pharmaceutical companies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the past 10 years.
Of the 304 companies surveyed, 136 (45 percent) shared data without identifying their patients, only 64 (21 percent) had data publicly available, while other companies were required to apply for the data. Later, it could take months for the company to approve the request
According to experts, 90% of the clinical trials data of 115 anticancer drugs of 304 companies were not available for research, while the clinical trials data of the big companies were not available for research. Had earned more than 25 billion dollars in profit.
Nitish Modi, the head of research conducted by Australia’s Flinders University, said that most people participating in clinical trials of anti-cancer drugs are ethnically white (Caucasian) and male, but the drugs work differently on different races and sexes. can affect and its effects on pregnant women can also be different.
He said that in order to test the effects of these drugs on different people, clinical trials of drugs should include people of different races, genders, and conditions and increase the sample size so that any concrete results can come out.
He said that such research studies are called systematic reviews or meta-analyses. If data from clinical trials of anti-cancer drugs from major companies are not available to us, we will not be able to answer enough questions about whether these drugs are safe for pregnant women. Are these drugs safe for women, people of Asian descent, or older patients?
He said that in terms of sales of anti-cancer drugs, the big companies are at the bottom in terms of transparency
