The World Health Organization (WHO) back to deal with the issue of transparency and accessibility of scientific research to clinical trial data.
The WHO appeal is contained in a recent press release, reaffirming the importance of disseminating the results of the studies on drugs, vaccines and medical devices, regardless of their outcome.
This is to encourage the sharing of scientific knowledge and promote public health of all patients, ensuring that decisions on the safety and efficacy of medicinal products are supported by the best available evidence.
The WHO believes that failure to disseminate the results of clinical trials, however, generate misinformation, leading to define skewed priorities, both in research and development and in the field of public health interventions, creating also indirect costs for public and private institutions, to the detriment of the same patients who are likely to pay for suboptimal treatment when not downright harmful.