CTIS Public Portal

The European Commission's public registry for clinical trials, through the Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS), plays a central role in disseminating the results of clinical trials by making key trial information publicly accessible throughout the trial lifecycle. A summary of its contributions is:

• Public access to trial information: CTIS provides a single public portal where patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, and the public can search for information on clinical trials conducted under the EU Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR).
• Publication of trial results: Sponsors are required to submit summary results, including a layperson summary, within specified timelines after the end of a clinical trial. These summaries are published in CTIS, increasing transparency and enabling wider dissemination of findings.
  Improved accessibility: Results are available through a centralised, searchable database, making it easier to identify completed studies and reducing barriers to accessing clinical research outcomes.
• Support for evidence synthesis: Public availability of trial information and results facilitates systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and health technology assessments by helping researchers identify both published and unpublished studies.
• Reduction of publication bias: By requiring the reporting of trial results regardless of outcome, the registry helps ensure that negative or inconclusive findings are also accessible, contributing to a more complete evidence base.
• Enhanced public trust: Transparency regarding trial conduct and outcomes strengthens confidence in clinical research and supports informed decision-making by patients, clinicians, regulators, and policymakers.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: The registry provides a standardised mechanism for meeting the EU Clinical Trials - Regulation's transparency obligations while protecting commercially confidential information and personal data where appropriate.

Overall, the EC public registry (CTIS) is an important infrastructure for clinical trial transparency, ensuring that information and results are publicly available in a timely, standardised, and searchable manner. By improving access to trial outcomes and reducing selective reporting, it enhances the visibility, reproducibility, and impact of clinical research across Europe.