Clinical trials methods and the practice of medicine

An important potential byproduct from clinical trials is validated clinical methods applicable to clinical practice. The potential for improved patient care is separate from the scientific and intellectual answers gained in such trials. The current mechanisms for the transfer of methodological information from clinical trials are inefficient and have identifiable barriers. Methods validated in clinical trials must be recognized and accentuated as a valuable resource. A central repository of clinical trials' methods and a retrieval system dedicated to this unique body of scientific literature is warranted. Reports of methodological advances from clinical trials should be published in the literature read by clinical practitioners. The effective transfer of methods information from clinical trials to the office of the clinical practitioner is possible but requires increased efforts on the part of clinical trials scientists.