Publication bias, also called the positive outcome bias, is typically the tendency for researchers to publish experimental results that have a positive result (found something), while consequently not publishing findings which have a negative result (found that something did not happen). As such, this may distort meta-analysis of large numbers of studies. The problem is particularly significant when the research is sponsored by entities that may have a financial interest in achieving favourable results.

In September 2004, editors of several prominent medical journals (including the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Annals of Internal Medicine , and JAMA) announced that they would no longer publish results of drug research sponsored from pharmaceutical companies unless that research was registered in a public database from the start. [1] In this way, negative results should no longer be able to disappear.

See also

• selection bias
• confirmation bias
• list of cognitive biases

External links

• Skeptic's Dictionary: positive outcome bias.