International register of ongoing systematic reviews

In response to growing concern about reporting biases, and advocacy of registration for systematic  reviews, the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) is leading an initiative to establish an international register of ongoing systematic reviews. The register will use the existing IT platform and  infrastructure that supports production and provision of the CRD databases, and work in a similar way to clinical trials registers, allowing researchers to record key features of their systematic reviews  prospectively.

The web-based register will offer free public access, be electronically searchable and open to all  prospective registrants. Registration will require a minimum data set, which is currently being formulated  through an international Delphi consensus exercise. The completeness of the information supplied will be  ensured before registration. Accepted protocol details will be loaded on the database  as a permanent entry and a unique identifi cation number will be issued. A public audit trail for  amendments and updates to the information will be available and links to resulting publications will be added. Registration will be free of charge. Details of the background and development of the register  have been published in The Lancet.[1] The register, to be launched later this year, will offer a free,  simple, user-friendly registration process on a proven and appropriate open access platform that is  easily searchable. We believe the register will promote research transparency, reduce the potential for  bias and should lead to improved quality of systematic reviews and the decisions that rely upon them. It  should also help avoid duplication and support the effi cient use of research funding. For further  information, visit york.ac.uk/inst/crd/projects/register.htm or contact Alison.

[1] Booth A, Clarke M, Ghersi D, Moher D, Petticrew M, Stewart L. An international registry of  systematic review protocols. The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 13 July 2010:

thelancet.com/journals /lancet/article/ PIIS0140-6736(10)60903-8/fulltext

Alison Booth and Lesley Stewart, Centre for
Reviews and Dissemination
ab42@york.ac.uk
Mike Clarke, UK Cochrane Centre
mclarke@cochrane.ac.uk
Davina Ghersi, International Clinical Trials
Registry Platform, WHO
ghersid@who.int
David Moher, Bias Methods Group
dmoher@ohri.ca
Mark Petticrew, Campbell and Cochrane Equity
Methods Group
Mark.Petticrew@lshtm.ac.uk