Tracking system for studies should be in place

doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7458.173-b

BMJ 2004;329:173 (17 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7458.173-b

Letter

Tracking system for studies should be in place

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—GlaxoSmithKline's recent legal troubles resultingfrom not publishing negative results of clinical trials on theantidepressant paroxetine are just part of a larger problemof publication bias in modern research.¹

There has been evidence that the literature that is publishedis more likely to be positive than chance alone might predict.²There have even been links shown between positive trials andindustry sponsorship.³ But these cases, although they are alarming,should not blind us to the general problem of negative resultsnot being reported. Proper analysis of new medical treatmentsrequires properly weighing the evidence for the new treatment.⁴

The proper solution to the under-reporting of negative resultsis to track all clinical trials so that we can ensure that theresults of such trials are properly reported. It is importantfor both journals and investigators to work together to ensurethat this occurs. Had such a system . . . [Full text of this article]

J A C Delaney, statistician, clinical epidemiology

Royal Victoria Hospital, R 4.36, 687 Pine Avenue W, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1A1 chris.delaney@clinepi.mcgill.ca