Epidemiology

Preregistration of Epidemiologic Studies: An Ill-founded Mix of Ideas

The idea for the registration of observational epidemiologic studies (with their protocols, hypotheses, and analysis plans) is modeled on the registration of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The movement that led to the registration of RCTs was fed …

Preregistration of Epidemiology Protocols (Author Response)

Professors Kogevinas and Stayner do not address the central point of my commentary but they do pursue an issue on which I welcome the opportunity to elucidate. As a student of epidemiology myself, I appreciate professors who are more critical of …

Preregistration of Epidemiology Protocols (Response)

There must be something wrong when a professor of epidemiology includes the following statement in the concluding remarks of a commentary he has written: “Whether observational epidemiology has, on balance, contributed more to the good of public …

Preregistration of Epidemiology Protocols: A Commentary in Support

It has been proposed that observational epidemiology protocols, just like those for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), should be preregistered. Unlike the editors of the Lancet and BMJ who have endorsed the proposal, the Epidemiology editors and 5 …

Preregistration of Study Protocols Is Unlikely to Improve the Yield From Our Science, But Other Strategies Might

A recent workshop focused on the idea that protocols for nonrandomized studies should be registered in advance of their conduct. In reviewing the workshop report and publications citing it, I note a number of unfounded assumptions and little …

Should Preregistration of Epidemiologic Study Protocols Become Compulsory? Reflections and a Counterproposal

There is an ongoing debate regarding preregistration of epidemiologic study protocols. We examine the basic idea that preregistration of study protocols and their associated hypotheses would enhance the reliability of observational research. We …