Cochrane Germany, together with its partners from the "Alliance for Transparency in Health Research" and twelve other supporters, is calling for a clear regulation for the complete and timely publication of the results of all interventional clinical studies in Germany. A position paper published today by the alliance explains why unpublished study results endanger our health and what must happen to solve this problem.
Results from clinical studies that are published late, incompletely, or not at all distort the data basis for evidence-based health decisions. The potential consequences of this bias, also known as publication bias or dissemination bias, are severe: in the worst case, patients are treated suboptimally and health policy decisions are made on the basis of false assumptions. Furthermore, the non-publication of study results represents a waste of research funds – often from public sources.
The "Alliance for Transparency in Health Research," with broad support from twelve other institutes and organizations, therefore wants to initiate the closing of remaining legal loopholes in the registration and reporting of clinical studies through legal regulation. In a position paper published today (see below), the alliance describes the problem, outlines possible solutions – and invites all responsible parties to a dialogue on how to create the framework conditions in Germany for complete study registration and results publication.
The goal: clear framework conditions and regulations that ensure our healthcare can truly rely on the "best possible" evidence from clinical research.
https://www.cochrane.de/positionspapier-buendnis-transparenz
