WHO: All clinical trials sould be published. WHO today issued a public statement calling for the disclosure
of results from clinical trials for medical products, whatever the
result. The move aims to ensure that decisions related to the safety and
efficacy of vaccines, drugs and medical devices for use by populations
are supported by the best available evidence. “Our intention is to promote the sharing of scientific
knowledge in order to advance public health,” said Dr Marie-Paule Kieny,
WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation. “It
underpins the principal goal of medical research: to serve the
betterment of humanity.”
“Failure to publicly disclose trial results engenders
misinformation, leading to skewed priorities for both R&D and public
health interventions,” said Dr Kieny. “It creates indirect costs for
public and private entities, including patients themselves, who pay for
suboptimal or harmful treatments.”
