Clinical Trial Participants, Investigators Point to Importance of Clinical Trial Results Reporting in Canadian Study

Canadian and Australian researchers highlight clinical trial participant enthusiasm for public results reporting in the journal BMJ Open. Based on qualitative interview results for nearly three dozen clinical trial participants, investigators, administrators, or ethics board members from three Canadian provinces — British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario — the team found that both clinical trial participants and investigators seem to perceive public reporting on clinical trial results as part of a broader reciprocal relationship that makes clinical trials possible. On the other hand, comments from some clinical trial investigators hint that failing to adequately disclose data from a clinical trial or drug trial may hinder their ability to successfully carry out similar trials down the road. "The views of trial participants, trial investigators, and others connected to clinical trial research in Canada suggest that researchers have an obligation to research participants to report clinical trial results and that reporting of results in registries or journals is necessary for honoring informed consent," the authors write, noting that the study "highlights the need for Health Canada to adopt regulatory measures to require timely reporting of clinical trial results within a recognized trial registry."