Improving the process of translational research

Empirical evidence that deficiencies in the reporting of clinical studies are associated with overstatement of the efficacy of the treatment under study led to the development of the CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement for the reporting of randomized controlled clinical trials.1 Accumulating evidence suggests that deficiencies in the reporting of animal studies may have a similar effect.2

In response to concerns that lack of transparency in the reporting of animal studies may have made the process of translation from bench to bedside inefficient and wasteful, the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) convened a meeting of major stakeholders in translational research in June this year.3 Their aim was to develop recommendations for improving the reporting of the results of animal research, and recently they published a core set of reporting standards for animal studies.3 The group comprised academic researchers and educators, reviewers, journal editors, and representatives from funding agencies, disease advocacy communities, and the drug industry. The core standards deserve close attention.

Animal studies have been important in the development of many available medical treatment strategies. …