Dear all,

 

The development of two new research reporting guidelines, SPIRIT-Children and Adolescents and CONSORT-Children and Adolescents (SPIRIT | CONSORT-C), for pediatric and child health randomized controlled trials (RCTs), is underway! After an international Delphi study and Consensus Meeting, we are in the final stages of finalizing SPIRIT | CONSORT-C.

 

The next phase of the project is to pilot test the draft reporting guidelines (i.e., checklist and accompanying Explanation and Elaboration (E&E) document). We are looking for pediatric and child health RCT protocol and report authors to pilot test the new guidelines from October 28 – November 15, 2024.

 

Who can be a pilot tester?

Authors who are:

  • Drafting a pediatric/child health RCT protocol or report; or
  • In the process of (re)submitting their manuscript; or
  • Have recently published a pediatric/child health RCT protocol or report in 2023 or 2024

 

Pediatric journal editors who are reviewing a pediatric/child health RCT protocol or report during the pilot testing dates (October 28 – November 15, 2024) are also eligible.

 

What can pilot testers gain from this experience?

Pilot testing may be a useful exercise to improve reporting of your RCT protocol or report. Pilot testers may state in their manuscript(s) that it was reported following a reporting guideline for pediatric/child health RCTs, currently in development.  Finally, pilot testers will be acknowledged for their role in the main guidance publications, with permission.

 

What do pilot testers have to do?

Pilot testers will be asked to:

  • Apply the draft guideline to their own RCT protocol or report (or one that they are peer reviewing) and give us feedback through an online survey
  • Pilot test either SPIRIT-C (for protocols), CONSORT-C (for reports), or both
    • Pilot testing is anticipated to take up to 60-90 minutes per trial paper; therefore, those who pilot test both may spend up to 120-180 minutes

 

How to sign-up?

If you, or any of your colleagues, are interested in being a pilot tester, please register here: https://surveys.sickkids.ca/surveys/?s=MRCKDYREJKTND4YF

 

We welcome multiple pilot testers from the same trial protocol or report, so please feel to forward the invitation to your colleagues, anyone in your network, or network leads.

 

Registration will close on Monday, October 21, 2024. Registrants will receive more information and access to the pilot testing materials by the end of October 2024.

 

For more information on the project, please visit: https://lab.research.sickkids.ca/enrich/reporting-standards/spirit-consort-c/

 

We hope you will join us! For any questions, please contact Ami Baba (ami.baba@sickkids.ca).

 

Kind regards, on behalf of the SPIRIT | CONSORT-Children Core Project Team,

Ami Baba