What should companies do if a product's development program is discontinued?

When a company's product development program is discontinued, the obligation to share clinical trial results is paramount. Posting clinical trial results within one year is aligned with ethical standards and regulatory expectations. Transparency is essential in medical research, particularly when it comes to informing stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and patients, about the outcomes of clinical trials. This practice helps contribute to the overall body of scientific knowledge, allowing others to build on the findings, regardless of whether the product will proceed to market.

Publishing results ensures accountability and provides insights that may benefit future research, even if the specific development program is halted. It may also help to mitigate the potential negative impact on public trust regarding the integrity of clinical research practices.

On the other hand, continuing to market an unsupported product would be misleading, filing patents without ongoing development would not be strategic, and ignoring trial results would contravene ethical obligations to disclose information that may affect patient care and scientific inquiry. Each of these actions could harm the company's reputation and undermine trust in the scientific process.