Industry-Sponsored Economic Studies in Critical and Intensive Care Versus Studies Sponsored by Nonprofit Organizations

The purpose of this analysis of health economic studies in the field of intensive and critical care was to investigate whether any relationship could be established between type of sponsorship and (1) type of economic analysis, (2) health technology assessed, (3) sensitivity analysis performed, (4) publication status, and (5) qualitative cost assessment. Using the terms critical care or intensive care , all health economics publications in the field of critical and intensive care were identified in the Health Economic Evaluations Database (HEED, Version 1995-2001) on the basis of sponsorship and comparative studies. This search yielded a total of 42 eligible articles. Their evaluations were prepared independently by 2 investigators on the basis of specific criteria. When evaluators disagreed, a third investigator provided a deciding evaluation. There was no statistically demonstrable relationship between types of sponsorship and sensitivity analysis performed, publication status, types of economic analysis, or qualitative cost assessment.