Regulators in half a dozen European countries are now taking steps to enforce requirements that clinical trial sponsors make study results public, although three other countries have so far taken little to no action, a new analysis finds.
Specifically, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands are in varying stages of prompting sponsors to publicize results of their past clinical trials. But there is no evidence that regulators in Italy, France, or Spain are doing the same, according to the analysis, which was conducted by several groups that advocate for greater clinical trial transparency.
Although some regulators lack the “political will” to enforce disclosure, “the good news is that many regulators in Europe are finally taking this issue seriously,” said Till Bruckner, who heads TranspariMED, one of the advocacy groups. “Transparency of clinical trials data is an important basis to boost research efforts at EU level where it is needed and therefore make the best use of public money.”
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