News

NIHR launches International Register for Health Research reviews

NETSCC news Item 25 February 2011

A major global initiative to establish an international register that will improve the transparency of health research has been launched by Health Minister Lord Howe.

The register, called PROSPERO, is the first online facility to register systematic reviews for research about health and social care from all around the world. It has been developed by the NIHR Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) and is completely free and open to the public. NETSCC is supporting this initiative as NETS programmes fund a large amount of systematic reviews.

Systematic reviews are accepted as providing best quality evidence to support decision making in health and social care for policy and practice. They critically assess and collate the evidence from all the relevant studies on a research topic that have been previously undertaken. They are recognised and valued by decision-makers because they provide the best and most comprehensive information available. PROSPERO is designed to avoid the duplication of health research and will act as a guard against selective reporting of research.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Director General of Research and Development at the Department of Health said:

"We are supporting the development of PROSPERO because we think it’s important to establish mechanisms that guarantee integrity and maintain quality standards.

"I am also delighted that PROSPERO has been designed so it can be used internationally to promote best practice around the world. Duplication of systematic reviews is commonplace and it is increasingly important that knowledge is shared efficiently to maximise the use of available research resources worldwide.”

For further information view a video message from Professor Dame Sally C. Davies

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Notes to Editors:

1. Systematic reviews provide the best quality evidence to support decision making in health and social care for policy and practice. Systematic reviews adhere to a strict scientific design based on explicit, pre-specified and reproducible methods. When carried out well, they provide reliable estimates about the effects of interventions.
2. PROSPERO is a prospective register of systematic reviews of health and social care interventions produced and maintained by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, link below