Is it time for computable evidence synthesis?

Abstract

Efforts aimed at increasing the pace of evidence synthesis have been primarily focused on the use of published articles, but these are a relatively delayed, incomplete, and at times biased source of study results data. Compared to those in bibliographic databases, structured results data available in trial registries may be more timely, complete, and accessible, but these data remain underutilized. Key advantages of using structured results data include the potential to automatically monitor the accumulation of relevant evidence and use it to signal when a systematic review requires updating, as well as to prospectively assign trials to already published reviews. Shifting focus to emerging sources of structured trial data may provide the impetus to build a more proactive and efficient system of continuous evidence surveillance.