title: Inadequate use and regulation of interventions against publication bias decreases their effectiveness: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent or reduce publication and related biases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched multiple databases and performed manual searches using terms related to publication bias and known interventions against publication bias. We dually reviewed citations and assessed risk of bias. We synthesized results by intervention and outcomes measured and graded the quality of the evidence (QoE).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We located 38 eligible studies. The use of prospective trial registries (PTR) has increased since 2005 (seven studies, moderate QoE); however, positive outcome-reporting bias is prevalent (14 studies, low QoE), and information in nonmandatory fields is vague (10 studies, low QoE). Disclosure of financial conflict of interest (CoI) is inadequate (five studies, low QoE). Blinding peer reviewers may reduce geographical bias (two studies, very low QoE), and open-access publishing does not discriminate against authors from low-income countries (two studies, very low QoE).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of PTR and CoI disclosures is increasing; however, the adequacy of their use requires improvement. The effect of open-access publication and blinding of peer reviewers on publication bias is unclear, as is the effect of other interventions such as electronic publication and authors' rights to publish their results.
authors.affiliation: Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Danube University Krems, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek Str. 30 Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria. Electronic address: kylie.thaler@donau-uni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thaler
authors.affiliation: Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Danube University Krems, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek Str. 30 Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kien
authors.affiliation: Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Danube University Krems, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek Str. 30 Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nussbaumer
authors.affiliation: Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Danube University Krems, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek Str. 30 Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria.
authors.forename: Megan G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Van Noord
authors.affiliation: Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Danube University Krems, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek Str. 30 Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Griebler
authors.affiliation: Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Danube University Krems, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek Str. 30 Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria.
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Klerings
authors.affiliation: Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Danube University Krems, Dr.-Karl-Dorrek Str. 30 Krems an der Donau 3500, Austria; Research Triangle Institute International, Research Triangle Park, 3040 East Cornwallis Road Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194, USA.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gartlehner
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016265:Conflict of Interest / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D030881:Disclosure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010380:Peer Review / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017594:Publication Bias / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Conflict of interest; Geographical bias; Open access; Peer review; Publication bias; Trial registration
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