Travel medicine research priorities: establishing an evidence base

Travel medicine is the medical subspecialty which promotes healthy and safe travel. Numerous studies have been published that provide evidence for the practice of travel medicine, but gaps exist.

The Research Committee of the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) established a Writing Group which reviewed the existing evidence base and identified an initial list of research priorities through an interactive process that included e-mails, phone calls, and smaller meetings. The list was presented to a broader group of travel medicine experts, then was presented and discussed at the Annual ISTM Meeting, and further revised by the Writing Group. Each research question was then subject to literature search to ensure that adequate research had not already been conducted.

Twenty-five research priorities were identified and categorized as intended to inform pre-travel encounters, safety during travel, and post-travel management.

We have described the research priorities that will help to expand the evidence base in travel medicine. This discussion of research priorities serves to highlight the commitment that the ISTM has in promoting quality travel-related research.