Journal publications of randomised controlled trials (“literature”) have so far formed the basis for evidence of the effects of pharmaceuticals and biologics. In the last decade, progressively accumulating evidence has shown that literature is affected by reporting bias with evident implications for the reliability of any decision based on literature or its derivatives such as research synthesis. Instead of trying to reform the fields of research, industry, government, regulation and publishing, I propose basing public health decisions and reimbursement of any important intervention on independent trials and studies following the model pioneered by the Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research

 Author:

• Tom Jefferson. Honorary Research Fellow. Centre for Evidence Based Medicine. Oxford OX2 6GG
   

- Link to the video "Facing the unreliability of clinical trials literature"