The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) has joined AllTrials and is calling on the next generation of surgeons to support the campaign. BAPRAS and the Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network (RSTN) have committed to register all trials they’re involved with and will report results within one year of trial completion. BAPRAS has also said it will only award research grants for clinical trials if research teams adhere to the registration and reporting principles of AllTrials.
Nigel Mercer, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and President of BAPRAS, said:
“BAPRAS and the RSTN are encouraging the next generation of surgeons to get actively involved in research through their efforts and by signing up to AllTrials.
You cannot be a modern surgeon without any knowledge of what is good or bad research and both BAPRAS and RSTN fully support the publication of all well performed, ethical research no matter what the findings show, positive or negative.
BAPRAS’ own Journal (JPRAS) is acknowledged as one of the best in the world for plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery and we fully support clarity and openness in medical research. It is essential to the future of plastic surgery and we are very proud to support AllTrials.”
Recent research shows that a third of completed surgical trials are not published [1] and around half of studies manipulate outcomes (what the study is designed to investigate). [2] In a joint statement, BAPRAS and the RSTN said: “By following the principles set by AllTrials we hope to ensure continued ethical and fair reporting of all research in plastic surgery with the aim to improve the evidence base for the treatment choices we offer our patients.”
BAPRAS (originally the British Association of Plastic Surgeons), exists to increase the understanding and scope of the plastic surgery profession, promoting innovation in teaching, learning and research.
References
- Chapman et al. 2014. Discontinuation and non-publication of surgical randomised controlled trials: observational study BMJ 2014;349:g6870
- Hannink et al. 2013. Comparison of registered and published primary outcomes in randomized clinical trials of surgical interventions. Ann Surg. 2013 May; 257(5):818-23