[The relevance of head-to-head trials to patient-centred clinical research]

Head-to-head trials can contribute considerably to improving patient-centred care. To ensure that patients are optimally supplied with drugs and medical devices following market release, it is necessary to choose the best therapy from several options. The gold standard of efficacy comparisons is randomised head-to-head studies comparing alternative methods. These trials establish the evidence base for choosing and excluding a treatment, which in turn improves the quality of health care services, even from an economic point of view. These trials are performed under high international quality standards of planning, conducting and reporting. Since comparative effectiveness research (CER) largely includes science-initiated investigations, all stakeholders should participate in the funding of these studies.