New Methods Publications from NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre

14/08/25

Researchers at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC), University of Sydney, have published two new methods papers in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, offering practical solutions to improve the reliability and transparency of clinical research. 

 

Using Individual Participant Data to Inform Risk of Bias Assessments

Co-led by University of Sydney PhD student James Sotiropoulos and Dr Kylie Hunter, with contributions from the Evidence Integration team, this paper introduces a novel approach to risk of bias (ROB) assessment in systematic reviews and meta-analyses using individual participant data (IPD). 

Key findings: 

• IPD enables additional checks across ROB domains not possible with published data alone. 

• This can reduce uncertainty and, in some cases, lower the assessed risk of bias. 

Impact: 
This preliminary guidance supports more robust and transparent evidence synthesis in IPD meta-analyses, contributing to a more reliable evidence base for clinical guidelines and policy. 

 

 

Improving the Reporting and Use of Trial Results in Registries

Led by Tabea Kaul (Utrecht University) during her research visit to the CTC, supervised by Professor Lene Seidler, Dr Melina Willson, and Dr Kylie Hunter, this study investigates global practices and barriers in trial result reporting on clinical trials registries and proposes system-level recommendations. 

Key findings: 

• Only 17% of trials report results on registries; in a subset, 63% had accessible results, with 64–98% in reusable formats. 

• Barriers include time, effort, and fear of affecting publication; users cite mistrust and difficulty accessing data. 

• Recommendations include standardising registry interfaces, addressing misconceptions, and building trust. 

Impact: 
If implemented, these recommendations could transform registries into trusted platforms for evidence dissemination—enhancing transparency, reducing duplication, and improving research quality.