Overcoming obstacles in obtaining individual participant data for meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Data science
• Scientific methodology

Background:

• Individual participant data (IPD) is essential for robust meta-analysis.
• Current obstacles hinder meta-analysts and primary study researchers from accessing IPD.
• Effective data sharing is critical for advancing scientific inquiry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and discuss barriers to obtaining individual participant data (IPD).
• To provide a sample data sharing agreement to facilitate IPD access.
• To promote thorough IPD syntheses and collaborative research partnerships.

Main Methods:

• Review of common obstacles in accessing IPD through repositories and direct author contact.
• Development of an example data sharing agreement.
• Discussion of ethical considerations in data sharing.

Main Results:

• Persistent barriers exist for meta-analysts seeking IPD.
• A data sharing agreement can help mitigate some access issues.
• Ethical data sharing practices are paramount.

Conclusions:

• Anticipating and addressing IPD access barriers is key for meta-analysts.
• Facilitating IPD access enhances the quality and scope of meta-analyses.
• Fostering collaboration between researchers improves scientific outcomes.