Nonregistration, Discontinuation, and Nonpublication of Randomized Trials: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Previous work found that 25% to 30% of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with protocols approved in 2012 or between 2000 and 2003 were discontinued prematurely, most commonly due to inadequate participant recruitment. To minimize research waste, RCTs should be registered and their results made available.

Objectives

To assess the fate of RCTs approved by ethics committees in 2016 in terms of nonregistration, discontinuation, and nonpublication, and to examine RCT characteristics associated with discontinuation due to poor recruitment and nonpublication of RCT results.

Evidence review

As a prespecified project of the Adherence to SPIRIT Recommendations (ASPIRE) study, this systematic review had access to 347 RCT protocols approved in 2016 by research ethics c

SUBMITTER: Speich B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12409572 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature