In 1984, a policy statement regarding the relationship of National Cancer Institute (NCI), the pharmaceutical industry, and NCI-supported cooperative groups was developed.

The statement articulates the need for collaboration between NCI and the pharmaceutical industry in pursuing the joint development of anticancer drugs of mutual interest. It also sets forth guidelines for the handling of issues such as the joint sponsorship of trials, the sharing of information between sponsors, maintaining the confidentiality of certain classes of data, the funding of cooperative groups by drug companies, the review of protocols, and the publication of results.