WHO Primary Clinical Trial Registries: Where Can Pakistani Researchers Register a Trial?

Published

Journals that follow ICMJE recommendations accept a trial only if it was registered, before the first patient was enrolled, in a registry they recognise. Two kinds of registry qualify: ClinicalTrials.gov, and any primary registry in the WHO Registry Network, part of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP).

“Trial” here is wider than an RCT. ICMJE counts any study that prospectively assigns people to an intervention, with or without a control group, so non-randomised trials, quasi-experimental (before-after) studies and single-arm trials need registration too. Observational studies are not required to be registered, but they can be.

Want UPMED to register your study? We help you set up your own account and handle the study entry and the follow-up until your registration number is issued. WhatsApp 0304 2397393 or email [email protected].

What is a WHO primary registry?

A primary registry is a registry that WHO has checked against set criteria for content, quality and validity, accessibility, unique identification of trials, technical capacity and administration. Primary registries also meet ICMJE requirements. Their records are fed into the WHO ICTRP search portal, so a trial registered in any of them can be found worldwide.

ClinicalTrials.gov is not on the WHO primary registry list. It is a data provider to the WHO portal and is accepted by ICMJE journals on its own. So a ClinicalTrials.gov registration is fully valid for publication.

The WHO primary registries

RegistryCountry / region
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR)Australia, New Zealand
Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (ReBec)Brazil
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR)China
Clinical Research Information Service (CRiS)Republic of Korea
Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS)European Union
Clinical Trials Registry – India (CTRI)India
Cuban Public Registry of Clinical Trials (RPCEC)Cuba
EU Clinical Trials Register (EU-CTR)European Union
German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS)Germany
Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT)Iran
ISRCTNInternational (UK based)
International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry (ITMCTR)International (traditional medicine)
Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT)Japan
Lebanese Clinical Trials Registry (LBCTR)Lebanon
Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR)Thailand
Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR)Africa
Peruvian Clinical Trial Registry (REPEC)Peru
Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (SLCTR)Sri Lanka

Source: WHO ICTRP – Primary Registries. WHO updates this list from time to time.

Which registry should a Pakistani researcher choose?

  • Pakistan has no primary registry of its own in the WHO network, so trials from Pakistan go to an international registry.
  • ClinicalTrials.gov is the usual choice. It is free, it accepts trials from any country, and more than 340 Pakistani hospitals, universities and companies already have accounts on it.
  • Most national registries in the list are meant for trials run in their own country. Before choosing one of them, check its rules on accepting studies from Pakistan, its fees and its language requirements.
  • Register in one registry before the first patient is enrolled, and quote that registration number in your paper.

Not sure which registry fits your study? Ask UPMED on WhatsApp 0304 2397393 or email [email protected].

Next steps

Contact UPMED

UPMED registers RCTs, non-randomised trials, quasi-experimental and observational studies from account creation to the registration number. For packages and fees:

Rate this article

How useful was it for you?