1. Sign our petition calling on Cochrane to withdraw their review of Exercise Therapy for CFS here.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Guest, the 'News in Brief' for the week beginning 18th March 2024 is here.
    Dismiss Notice
  3. Welcome! To read the Core Purpose and Values of our forum, click here.
    Dismiss Notice

Identifying and managing problematic trials: A research integrity assessment tool for RCTs in evidence synthesis, 2022, Weibel, Garner et al

Discussion in 'Trial design including bias, placebo effect' started by Trish, Sep 26, 2022.

  1. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    51,871
    Location:
    UK
    Identifying and managing problematic trials: A research integrity assessment tool for randomized controlled trials in evidence synthesis

    Stephanie Weibel, Maria Popp, Stefanie Reis, Nicole Skoetz, Paul Garner, Emma Sydenham

    Abstract

    Evidence synthesis findings depend on the assumption that the included studies follow good clinical practice and results are not fabricated or false. Studies which are problematic due to scientific misconduct, poor research practice, or honest error may distort evidence synthesis findings.

    Authors of evidence synthesis need transparent mechanisms to identify and manage problematic studies to avoid misleading findings. As evidence synthesis authors of the Cochrane COVID-19 review on ivermectin, we identified many problematic studies in terms of research integrity and regulatory compliance.

    Through iterative discussion, we developed a research integrity assessment (RIA) tool for randomized controlled trials for the update of this Cochrane review. In this paper, we explain the rationale and application of the RIA tool in this case study. RIA assesses six study criteria: study retraction, prospective trial registration, adequate ethics approval, author group, plausibility of methods (e.g., randomization), and plausibility of study results.

    RIA was used in the Cochrane review as part of the eligibility check during screening of potentially eligible studies. Problematic studies were excluded and studies with open questions were held in awaiting classification until clarified. RIA decisions were made independently by two authors and reported transparently. Using the RIA tool resulted in the exclusion of >40% of studies in the first update of the review.

    RIA is a complementary tool prior to assessing “Risk of Bias” aiming to establish the integrity and authenticity of studies. RIA provides a platform for urgent development of a standard approach to identifying and managing problematic studies.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 26, 2022
    Snow Leopard, Holinger, Ariel and 3 others like this.
  2. rvallee

    rvallee Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    12,299
    Location:
    Canada
    So how would that tool assess the rotten and obviously sub-par reviews on GET and CBT? How do we make that happen and make Cochrane look like either a bunch of fools or hypocrites, or probably both.
     
  3. rvallee

    rvallee Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    12,299
    Location:
    Canada
    A reminder:

    cochrane-review-issues.png

    And that's just a few of the major flaws.
     
    FMMM1, alktipping, Sly Saint and 7 others like this.
  4. Caroline Struthers

    Caroline Struthers Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    821
    Location:
    Oxford UK
    rvallee, FMMM1, RedFox and 8 others like this.
  5. rvallee

    rvallee Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    12,299
    Location:
    Canada

Share This Page