Nonregistration, discontinuation, and nonpublication of randomized trials: A repeated metaresearch analysis.
Benjamin SpeichDmitry GryaznovJason Walter BusseViktoria L GloySzimonetta LohnerKatharina KlatteAla Taji HeraviNilabh GhoshHopin LeeAnita MansouriIoana R MarianRamon SaccilottoEdris NuryBenjamin KasendaElena Ojeda-RuizStefan SchandelmaierYuki TomonagaAlain AmstutzChristiane Pauli-MagnusKarin BischoffKatharina WollmannLaura Kerstin RehnerJoerg Johannes MeerpohlAlain NordmannJacqueline K WongNgai ChowPatrick Jiho HongKimberly Alba Mc CordSirintip SricharoenchaiArnav AgarwalMatthias E SchwenkglenksLars G HemkensErik von ElmBethan CopseyAlexandra N GriessbachChristof M SchönenbergerDominik MertzAnette BlümleBelinda von NiederhäusernSally HopewellAyodele OdutayoMatthias BrielPublished in: PLoS medicine (2022)
We have observed that rates of premature trial discontinuation have not changed in the past decade. Nonpublication of RCTs has declined but remains common; 21% of unpublished trials could not be identified in registries. Only 16% of investigator-sponsored trials reported results in a trial registry. Higher reporting quality of RCT protocols was associated with publication of results. Further efforts from all stakeholders are needed to improve efficiency and transparency of clinical research.