Reporting and transparency

Making research results public is a vital part of responsible research. All studies, whether they show positive, negative, or inconclusive findings, must share their outcomes. This supports future research, builds public trust, and respects the contribution of participants.

What you need to do

At the end of your research study, you should:

  • Submit end-of-study notifications
  • Submit a final report
  • Upload results
  • Share results with participants
  • Publish findings
Presenting research results

Submit end of study notifications

Notify the following bodies by sending the relevant end-of-study form. 

  • Research Ethics Committees (REC)
  • The MHRA or other regulatory bodies, where applicable
  • The Sponsor (send to resgov@accord.scot in ACCORD)
  • NHS R&D offices (send to loth.accord@nhs.scot for NHS Lothian)

For research reviewed by an institutional ethics committee, the end-of-study notification should be emailed to the committee.

Non CTIMPs

Declare the end of the study to the NHS REC that gave a favourable opinion within 90 days of the study ending, using the end of study declaration form.

CTIMPs

Notify the end of the trial to the REC and MHRA within 90 days of the end of the trial by submitting the end of trial declaration via IRAS. [clarify how the Sponsor is informed]

Submit final reports

Submit reports within 12 months of the study ending, or within 6 months for paediatric clinical trials, to the following: 

  • The Sponsor
  • Research Ethics Committees
  • The MHRA or other regulatory bodies, where applicable

Where to submit a final report depends on the type of study you have completed. 

Non CTIMPs

Submit a copy of the final report to

CTIMPs

Submit a copy of the final report to

Upload results

Summary results must be uploaded within 12 months of the study ending, or within 6 months for paediatric clinical trials, to the public registry where the research was registered (e.g. ISRCTN or ClinicalTrials.gov, depending on the type of study). 

Inform participants

People who take part in research give their time and experience to make studies possible. They should be thanked for their contribution and informed about how their involvement has helped.

Sharing a clear summary of the research findings not only respects participants’ efforts but also acknowledges the important role they played in advancing knowledge.


Good examples of informing participants

Example: ABC Sepsis
Example: SoStart

Publish results

Where applicable, the research findings should be submitted for publication in a journal within 12 months of the end of the study through an open-access mechanism in a peer-reviewed journal.

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