Research waste in surgical randomized controlled trials

Background Research waste is a major challenge for evidence-based medicine. It implicates misused resources and increased risks for research participants. The aim of this study was to quantify constituent components of waste in surgical RCTs and explore targets for improvement. Methods ClinicalTrials.gov was searched for RCTs registered between January 2011 and December 2012 using the keyword ‘surgery’. The primary outcome was research waste,...