Richard Sullivan Clinical Quotations

If only positive results are published this can distort medical literature and leave doctors thinking a treatment is more effective than it actually is. This in turn can affect the validity and findings of subsequent reviews, treatment decisions and clinical practice guidelines.

Registries for cancer clinical trials exist but they are not compulsory and are far from being complete. There needs to be one comprehensive database so trials can be monitored and a wealth of information can be accessed from a central place.

The medical community needs to know the results of clinical trials to be able to view the entire picture of how a treatment works, how it compares to other therapies and what choices could serve patients best. It's disturbing to think that important information on clinical trials is being left to gather dust.