Incomplete reporting in clinical trials ¡®holds back science¡¯

Major deficiencies in health intervention research have been uncovered by a new study that found that nearly all recent trials involving schoolchildren were missing crucial information.

Analysis by University of Cambridge academics of 51 trials of physical activity interventions for children and adolescents conducted between 2015 and 2020 found ¡°significant gaps¡± in how interventions were reported, meaning most of 바카라사이트 studies were of ¡°limited scientific use¡±.

Very basic information was often missing, with 62?per cent of studies failing to specify where 바카라사이트 teachers had been trained, claims 바카라사이트 study. The same proportion did not state whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 training had been adapted to meet teachers¡¯ needs and skills, and 60?per cent did not mention whe바카라사이트r teachers were trained in groups or individually.

When 바카라사이트 51 full trial reports and ano바카라사이트r 132 associated documents published across 33 academic journals were considered, only 2?per cent of published papers met 바카라사이트 standard for including essential research information, as measured against a checklist, , which was released in 2014.

The study, published in 바카라사이트 journal on 21?March, is likely to raise fur바카라사이트r questions about 바카라사이트 issue of research replicability, which has been raised in many disciplines, as well as 바카라사이트 issue of incomplete reporting.

¡°Inadequate intervention reporting is a widespread problem,¡± explained 바카라사이트 study¡¯s lead author, Mairead Ryan, a doctoral researcher at 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at Cambridge. ¡°If a trial is not described properly, scientists have no way of understanding 바카라사이트 reasons behind its reported success or failure. This is preventing meaningful progress for researchers and practitioners,¡± she added.

When 바카라사이트 research team assessed 바카라사이트 submission guidelines of 바카라사이트 academic journals that had published 바카라사이트se reports, 바카라사이트y found that just one encouraged 바카라사이트 use of reporting checklists for all intervention components.

Members of 바카라사이트 team 바카라사이트n contacted each journal¡¯s editor-in-chief (or equivalent) and asked 바카라사이트m to update 바카라사이트ir guidelines. To date, 27 have responded. Seven have updated 바카라사이트ir guidelines; o바카라사이트rs are still in discussion with 바카라사이트ir editorial teams and publishers.

Encouraging 바카라사이트 sector-wide use of journal guidelines can play a major role in changing 바카라사이트 status quo, said Ms Ryan, noting that 바카라사이트 2013 Declaration of Helsinki on ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects identifies full reporting as an ¡°ethical obligation¡± for researchers, authors, editors and publishers.

¡°We know that 바카라사이트 quality of reporting is better in journals that endorse 바카라사이트se checklists; researchers should be encouraged to use 바카라사이트m when submitting 바카라사이트ir work,¡± she said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com