Clinical trial registration: A practical perspective

The increase in the number of clinical trials, driven mainly for career advancement mandated by regulatory bodies such as Medical Council of India risks output of substandard publications and also wastage of resources. There are also concerns of inadequate reporting and wilful concealment of results. The quality and quantity of the output become questionable evidences for medical practice. Lack of transparency can lead to disillusionment of the public in the medical field. Clinical trials registration seeks to regulate and streamline the clinical trials by mandating registration in various registries, through free for registration sites such as Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI). The guidelines are based on the World Health Organisation's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). This review aims to highlight the types of registries, the registration process, the data that need to be registered, the guide to use the CTRI and the search options in CTRI and ICTRP. The role of International Committee of Medical Journal Editors is also highlighted in regard to not only registration but also on the publication of trial registration number in the manuscript.