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Reporting of Cohort and Routinely Collected Data in Randomised Controlled Trial Protocols (SPIRIT-ROUTINE): extension checklist with explanation and elaboration

Patricia M Kearney Orcid Logo, Megan McCarthy Orcid Logo, Sandhya Rengarajan Orcid Logo, Linda M O'Keeffe Orcid Logo, Kerry Avery Orcid Logo, An-Wen Chan Orcid Logo, Declan Devane Orcid Logo, Gwyneth Davies Orcid Logo, Chris Gale Orcid Logo, Lars G Hemkens Orcid Logo, Edmund Juszczak Orcid Logo, Linda Kwakkenbos Orcid Logo, Sinéad M Langan Orcid Logo, Fiona Lugg-Widger Orcid Logo, David Moher Orcid Logo, Morten Schmidt Orcid Logo, Lehana Thabane Orcid Logo, Brett D Thombs Orcid Logo, Alice-Maria Toader Orcid Logo, Alan Watkins Orcid Logo, Amanda J Farrin Orcid Logo, Merrick Zwarenstein Orcid Logo, Matthew R Sydes Orcid Logo, Paula R Williamson Orcid Logo, Sarah Markham Orcid Logo

The BMJ, Volume: 393, Start page: e087095

Swansea University Author: Alan Watkins Orcid Logo

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Abstract

Randomised controlled trials that use cohorts or health-and-care systems data, often known as routinely collected data—such as electronic health records, registries, or administrative claims—are becoming increasingly common. These trials have the potential to streamline recruitment, intervention del...

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Published in: The BMJ
ISSN: 1756-1833
Published: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. 2026
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa72170
Abstract: Randomised controlled trials that use cohorts or health-and-care systems data, often known as routinely collected data—such as electronic health records, registries, or administrative claims—are becoming increasingly common. These trials have the potential to streamline recruitment, intervention delivery, follow-up (within trial and long term), and to lower costs. The lack of clear information governance pathways, heterogeneous data quality, delays in data recording and acquisition, and regulatory or ethical complexities undermine reproducibility and bias assessment when routinely collected data are used in trials. We introduce the SPIRIT-ROUTINE extension to the SPIRIT 2025 guideline: a checklist and explanation designed to improve the reporting of trial protocols that rely on cohorts or routinely collected data sources. Investigators, funders, ethics committees, journal editors, and peer reviewers can use the SPIRIT-ROUTINE extension to enhance completeness, transparency, and usability of such protocols to support better research, healthcare decisions, and patient outcomes.
Item Description: Research Methods & Reporting
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Start Page: e087095