TREND statement for non-randomised designs will make a difference

The movement towards evidence based public health policy has been gaining momentum over the past decade. It takes an important step forward with the recent publication of the TREND statement (transparent reporting of evaluations with non-randomised designs).1 Its aim is to improve the quality of reporting of non-randomised evaluations so that the conduct and findings of such research are transparent and information that is critical for research synthesis is not missing, and to do for public health evaluations what the CONSORT statement has done for randomised controlled trials.2

The publication of the TREND statement reflects the increasing recognition that successful evaluation of public health interventions will necessarily entail the use of research designs other than controlled trials3^–5 and various types of evidence, often in combination.4 6 The reasons for using such interventions include the following.

Firstly, the intervention is already well established or its …