Tackling Publication Bias in Health Research
Author Information
Author(s): Gunther Eysenbach, An-Wen Chan
Primary Institution: University of Toronto
Hypothesis
Will mandatory registration of clinical trials reduce publication bias and selective reporting?
Conclusion
Mandatory registration of clinical trials is expected to improve the quality of published research and reduce publication bias.
Supporting Evidence
- Mandatory registration of clinical trials has been demanded for almost 20 years.
- Negative trials are less likely to be published than positive trials, leading to publication bias.
- 62% of primary outcomes were changed, introduced, or omitted in a study comparing protocols to publications.
Takeaway
Researchers need to register their studies before starting them so that all results, even the negative ones, are reported. This helps everyone understand how well treatments really work.
Methodology
The editorial discusses the implementation of mandatory registration for clinical trials and the establishment of the International eHealth Study Registry.
Potential Biases
There is a risk of selective reporting where only positive outcomes are published, potentially misleading readers.
Limitations
The editorial does not provide specific data or empirical evidence to support its claims.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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