On transparency, responsibility, and accountability

Randomized controlled trials assessing new antimicrobials are frequently designed, performed and analysed by the industry. The authorship of these trials is not always transparent, even though authors are expected to be the guarantors of the data presented. Guest authors may not be able to assume full responsibility for all trial data, and ghost authors are frequently no longer available when the need to re-analyse trial results or complement published data arises. Academic and clinical contributions during the planning and design stages of a trial are important. We welcome transparent and appropriate authorship of industry-initiated randomized controlled trials with both positive and negative results.