Physicians are trained to consult the results of studies published in academic journals when making treatment decisions. However, it is common practice for the drug industry to only publish studies with significant findings. As a result, many studies without significant results go unpublished each year and healthcare providers base many of their treatment decisions on an incomplete body of evidence. This increases expenses for consumers and results in the promotion of ineffective treatments.
Government should require that results for all clinical trials of drugs intended for human consumption be published, mandate how results will be reported, and set up a database where the results from all clinical trials may be accessed by healthcare professionals.