Abstract' Content and GPs' Confidence in the Conclusion (ACOPI)

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of reporting, in abstracts of randomized controlled trials, 1) the funding sources and 2) the conflicts of interest (COIs) of the authors on General Practitioners' confidence in the abstracts' conclusions.

Design: Randomized Controlled Trial in 3 arms. Participants: Residents in Primary Care and General Practitioners (GP). They will be recruited among residents from the Primary Care department of the Paris Descartes University, members of the French Association of Young Researchers in General Practice (FayrGP), and among a GP network who agreed to participate to research studies.

The allocation of participants will be done by a computerized randomization list, the sequence will be created by an independent statistician with a ratio 1: 1: 1. Participants will be blind of the hypothesis and of the randomization. Allocation concealment will be provided because only the statistician will have access to the randomization list.

Methods: Three interventions will be assessed corresponding to three different types of abstracts: 1) abstracts not reporting neither the funding sources neither COIs of authors, 2) abstracts reporting funding sources and 3) abstracts reporting funding sources and COIs of authors.

A sample of abstracts will be selected from published randomized trials, testing superiority, assessing pharmacological treatment, in the field of Primary Care and General Practice and having a conclusion in favor of the beneficial effect of experimental treatment in terms of tolerance and / or efficacy. They will then be standardized and modified to obtain three types of abstracts: 1) with funding sources, 2) with funding sources and COIs and 3) without either source of funding or COIs.

Participants will be asked to assess one abstract of their randomization arm, on a secure website.

Outcome: The primary endpoint will be the GPs' confidence in conclusions. The secondary endpoints will be the quality perception of the study and the interpretation of the benefit of experimental treatment. Responses will be ranged by a 10-point numeric scale.

Potential interests: This study takes place in the field of Primary Care. We believe that better understandings of impact of funding sources and conflicts of interests are necessary to allow more transparency in medical research and in his translation into medical practice.

Sample size expected: 354 participants.