Bias, Spin, and Problems With Transparency of Research

Isabelle Boutron^1,2

Importance

Bias, spin, and lack of transparency are responsible for an important avoidable waste in research.

Observations

Evidence on research transparency, trial result availability, completeness, and accuracy of reporting will be highlighted. The role of the peer review process, the research environment, and the research ecosystem will be considered.

Conclusions

As stated by Doug Altman and David Moher, “The scientific community and the public at large deserve an accurate and complete record of research; we need to make changes to ensure that we will get one.”

Reference

1. Altman DG, Moher D. Declaration of transparency for each research article. BMJ. 2013;347:f4796. doi:10.1136/bmj.f4796

¹Université de Paris, CRESS, INSERM, INRA, Paris, France, isabelle.boutron@htd.aphp.fr; ²Centre d’Épidémiologie Clinique, Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Paris, France

Conflict of Interest Disclosures

Isabelle Boutron is an advisory board member of the International Congress on Peer Review and Scientific Publication but was not involved in the review or decision for this abstract.