A dashboard for exploring clinical trials sponsorship and potential virtual monopolies

OBJECTIVE: To create a data visualization dashboard to advance research related to clinical trials sponsorship and monopolistic practices in the pharmaceuticals industry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This R Shiny application aggregates data from ClinicialTrials.gov resulting from user’s queries by terms. Returned data are visualized through an interactive dashboard. RESULTS: The Clinical Trials Sponsorship Network Dashboard (CTSND) uses force-directed network mapping algorithms to visualize clinical trials sponsorship data. Interpretation of network visualization is further supported with data on sponsor classes, sponsorship timelines, evaluated products, and target conditions. The source code for the CTSND is available at https://github.com/sscottgraham/ConflictMetrics. DISCUSSION: Monopolistic practices have been identified as a likely contributor to high drug prices in the United States. CTSND data and visualizations support the analysis of clinical trials sponsorship networks and may aid in identifying current and emerging monopolistic practices. CONCLUSIONS: CTSND data can support more robust deliberation about an understudied area of drug pricing.