Health and life sciences group agrees new clinical trials transparency principles

The Ethical Standards in Health and Life Sciences Group (ESHLSG) is today publishing a new series of Clinical Trial Transparency Principles and Facts. 
 
This is the first time that leading healthcare professional bodies and senior representatives of the pharmaceutical industry have agreed to a joint approach on this critical issue. This is an important step forward in the on-going move across the entire research community to drive best practice in clinical research reporting.
 
The ESHLSG Principles document will be introduced, at today’s joint British Medical Journal (BMJ) and Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) conference: Innovation in research methods and dissemination - ensuring best practice.
 
Sir Richard Thompson, co-chair of the ESHLSG and president of the Royal College of Physicians, commented:
‘Clinical trials are critical to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of new medicines and devices. Swift and effective transition from research to new treatments is best achieved by organisations from all sectors coming together to address the significant issues.
 
‘As health professionals treating seriously ill patients on a day-to-day basis, we want to see new developments translated into health benefits as quickly and as safely as possible. Transparency in the results of clinical trials will allow researchers access to more data about how patients respond to new treatments, which can support efforts to see medicines and devices benefit patients sooner.’