Many systematic reviews contain problematic randomised controlled trials (RCTs). These are studies with false data or results, which could be caused by research misconduct (such as data fabrication) or by critical errors in study conduct. Risk of bias tools are not designed to detect problems of this nature, and are not successful in doing so. This prompts the question of how problematic RCTs may be detected by systematic reviewers.
The INSPECT-SR (INveStigating ProblEmatic Clinical Trials in Systematic Reviews) tool has been developed in partnership with Cochrane for this purpose. In this Web Clinic, the presenter introduced the INSPECT-SR tool by describing its development and illustrating its use with an example. The session also provided details on how to access further resources, including free online training workshops.
The session was delivered in March 2026 and below you will find the recording with the accompanying slides to download [PDF].
Presenter Bio
Jack Wilkinson is a senior lecturer in the Centre for Biostatistics at the University of Manchester, UK. His research interests cover both the application, development, and criticism of methods for the evaluation of health interventions, with a particular interest in interventions for the treatment of subfertility, including assisted reproductive technologies (ART). He is a statistical editor for Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility. He additionally has a background in undertaking integrity investigations for scientific journals and publishers, and leads the NIHR-funded INSPECT-SR project, which has developed a tool for identifying ‘problematic’ randomised controlled trials, including those subject to data fabrication or falsification.
