Barriers to clinical cosmetic and laser dermatology research in the academic setting by source of funding: a systematic review

Clinical research is a cornerstone of academic dermatology, including research in cosmetic and laser procedures. However, numerous barriers exist to conducting clinical research in an academic setting as compared to private practice. The objective of this study was to describe the barriers to clinical research in cosmetic and laser dermatology in the academic setting under three common funding scenarios: (1) industry sponsored, (2) unfunded, investigator-initiated, and (3) publicly funded, investigator-initiated. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify 17 publications regarding funding of clinical dermatology research. Inductive content analysis was used to extract, categorize, and understand the barriers related to clinical dermatology research, specifically in cosmetic dermatology, based on the type of funding. An expert panel of 11 board-certified dermatologists who practice and conduct research in cosmetic and laser dermatology at academic institutions reviewed these barriers, interpreted each barrier’s implications for academic cosmetic and laser dermatology research, and proposed possible approaches to overcoming each. Nine barriers were identified for each funding scenario, and a total of 60 approaches for mitigating these were suggested. Most barriers to industry sponsored research were related either to institutional hurdles or industry preferences. The most cited barrier to unfunded, investigator-initiated research was limited protected academic time. The most frequently cited barriers to publicly funded, investigator-initiated research were grant availability and disproportionate awarding of grants based on investigator demographics. Proposed approaches for overcoming barriers included recruiting the help of trainees, streamlining administrative paperwork, fostering collaboration between industry and academic centers, providing financial incentives, seeking out mentorship from other faculty, and collaborating with other investigators, departments, and institutions.