International Medical Journals Amplify Call For Registration Of Drug Trials

Editors of 11 international medical journals have repeated their call to register clinical drug trials in a public registry. In a joint editorial, the members of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), said they will consider publishing results of clinical trials that begin enrollment on or after July 1, 2005, only if the trial has been entered in a registry that is electronically searchable and publicly accessible at no charge before the first patient is enrolled. The journals will accept retrospective registration of trials that began enrollment before July 2005 as long as registration is complete by Sept. 13, 2005. The editorial, "Is This Trial Fully Registered?: A Statement from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors," will be released on www.ICMJE.org and on individual journal Web sites on May 23 at 5 p.m. EDT.