WHO Trial Registration Data Set (TRDS) Extension  for Traditional Chinese Medicine 2020: Recommendations, Explanation, and Elaboration

Abstract

Background: Although the WHO Trial Registration Data Set (TRDS) has been published for many years, the quality of clinical trial registrations with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is still not satisfactory, especially about the inadequate reporting on TCM interventions. The development of the WHO TRDS for TCM Extension 2020 (WHO TRDS-TCM 2020) aims to address this inadequacy. Methods: A group of clinical experts, methodologists, epidemiologists, and editors has developed this WHO TRDS-TCM 2020 through a comprehensive process, including publication of the literature review, consensus collection of the initial items, three-round of Delphi survey, solicitation of comments, revision, and finalization. Results: The WHO TRDS-TCM 2020 statement extends the latest version (V.1.3.1) of TRDS published in November 2017. The checklist includes 11 extended items (including subitems), namely Source(s) of Monetary or Material Support (Item 4), Scientific Title (Item 10a and 10b), Countries of Recruitment (Item 11), Health Condition(s) or Problem(s) Studied (Item 12), Intervention(s) (Item 13a, 13b and 13c), Key Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria (Item 14), Primary and Key Secondary Outcomes (Item 19 to 20), and Lay Summary (Item B1). For Item 13 (Interventions), three common TCM interventions--i.e., Chinese herbal medicine formulas, acupuncture and moxibustion—are elaborated. Conclusions: The group hopes that the WHO TRDS-TCM 2020 can improve the reporting quality and transparency of TCM trial registrations, assist registries in assessing the registration quality of TCM trials, and help readers understand TCM trial design.

Evidence‐based traditional Chinese medicine research: Two decades of development, its impact, and breakthrough

“…In 2019, the China Center for Evidence‐Based Traditional Chinese Medicine was established 43 . Its work priorities include the establishment of a clinical trial registry for TCM research and the development of the WHO Trial Registration Data Set extension for TCM, which aims to standardize the reporting of registration information about TCM 44,45 …”