Clinical trials

Registration

Clinical trials should be registered prospectively – i.e. before participant recruitment. However, for clinical trials that have not been registered prospectively, Dove Medical Press journals may consider clinical trials which have been registered at least prior to data analysis. This is to make sure the transparent and complete dissemination of all clinical trial results which ultimately impact human health. Authors of retrospectively registered trials must be prepared to provide further information to the journal editorial office if requested.

Additionally, we can only accept trial registrations from registries approved by WHO and ICMJE as these have met mandatory requirements, give sufficient details, are accessible and provide adequate version controls. Authors must include the Clinical Trial Registration number in the manuscript.

Dove Medical Press defines a clinical trial as:
A research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may or may not include a placebo or control group) to evaluate the effects of those interventions on a health-related biomedical or behavioural outcome.

Interventions include but are not restricted to drugs, cells and other biological products, surgical procedures, radiological procedures, devices, behavioural treatments, process-of-care changes, preventive care, etc.

Health outcomes are any biomedical or health-related measures obtained in patients or participants, including pharmacokinetic measures and adverse events.

Full details of clinical trial registration and the necessary requirements can be found on the ICJME website.

Please note: The Clinical Trial Registration guidelines were adapted from information provided by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Data Sharing Statement

Manuscripts submitted to Dove Medical Press journals from July 1st, 2018, reporting on clinical trial data must contain a data sharing statement indicating:

• Whether the authors intend to share individual deidentified participant data;
• What specific data they intend to share;
• What other study-related documents will be made available;
• How the data will be accessible;
• When and for how long they will be made available.

See the ICMJE guidelines on data sharing and example given in the Table.

Clinical trials that begin enrolling participants on or after 1 January 2019 must include a data sharing plan in the trial’s registration. Any deviations from this plan must be disclosed in the data sharing statement when published.

Updated 18 November 2025