Read a clinical trial register

Read a clinical trial register — method

A register describes a study and updates. It may list objectives and recruitment without reporting results. ICTRP gathers registers: an aggregate and its original register may describe one trial.

1. Identify the trial

   Record the original registry ID, secondary IDs and sponsor. A similar title is insufficient as a key; inspect links between registrations.

2. Fix the version

   Separate registration, planned or actual start and completion, and last update. When history exists, compare primary outcomes and planned enrolment across versions.

3. Distinguish documents

   Locate protocol, posted results and article separately. Link the article through the trial ID and check population, intervention and period before attributing its results.

Situations and decisions

Typical situations for preparing a check. They do not describe completed assignments or actual observations.

Record to retain

• Original and secondary IDs, sponsor and registry.
• Version, planned/actual dates and study outcomes.
• Separate links to protocol, results and article.

Official references

• WHO ICTRP
• ClinicalTrials.gov

Related source profiles

• WHO ICTRP — registre des essais
• ClinicalTrials.gov
• PubMed

Related protocols

• Verify a research reference and its version
• Check publication corrections and retractions

Checks before reaching a conclusion

• Use secondary IDs to avoid counting two independent observations.
• Describe displayed status and available results; do not infer positive or negative outcomes from missing results.