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SPIRIT–CONSORT Update Project

the SPIRIT (2013) and CONSORT (2010) reporting guidelines update project SPIRIT-CONSORT logo

Background

Randomised controlled trials provide the best evidence of the effectiveness (and harms) of health care interventions and are a crucial part of evidence-based health care. The SPIRIT and CONSORT Statements help researchers to report their trial protocols and results transparently and completely. This is important so that readers can critically evaluate the evidence and make informed decisions. SPIRIT 2013 and CONSORT 2010 are being updated to reflect new evidence and opinions. You can read more about the update project in a recent Comment article published in Nature Medicine.

This project is being led by the SPIRIT–CONSORT Executive Group. The project is funded by the MRC-NIHR: Better Methods, Better Research [MR/W020483/1]. The Principal Investigator is Prof Sally Hopewell (University of Oxford), and the study investigators are: Prof Isabelle Boutron (Université Paris Cité), Prof An-Wen Chan (University of Toronto), Prof Gary Collins (University of Oxford), Prof Asbjørn Hróbjartsson (University of Southern Denmark), Prof David Moher (University of Ottawa), Prof Kenneth F Schulz (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). The research co-ordinator is Dr Ruth Tunn (University of Oxford).

Delphi survey

We are conducting a Delphi survey to inform an update of the SPIRIT (2013) and CONSORT (2010) statements. We are consulting the following stakeholder groups:

  • Researchers with expertise in trial design and methodology
  • Assessors/approvers of trials
  • Commissioners of trial grants
  • Users of SPIRIT and CONSORT guidelines
  • Consumers of trial results

The sign-up portal has now closed. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to participate!

The expected dates of the survey are:

Round 1 is open for responses and will close at 11:59pm on Monday 31st October

Round 2: November–December 2022

Round 3 (if needed): January–February 2023

These dates may change subject to the progress of the study.

Delphi participants provide a vital contribution to this research; however, Delphi participation alone does not satisfy ICMJE authorship criteria so please be advised that participants will not receive authorship credit on the ensuing publications.

Thank you,

The SPIRIT–CONSORT Executive Group