Trials on Trial: Jury’s verdict is in

The court of MJA opinion has convened and passed judgement on the charge: The current system of publishing clinical trials is not fit for purpose.

The jury heard from five eminent experts — stastitician Professor Stephen Senn (pictured); editor in chief of BMJ Open, Dr Trish Groves; principal clinical scientist for Tamiflu at Roche, Dr Barry Clinch; deputy medical editor at open access publisher BioMed Central, Dr Stephanie Harriman and former Liberal Democrat MP and prominent supporter of the AllTrials campaign, Dr Evan Harris. Written evidence from Dr Ben Goldacre was also submitted.

After forensic cross examination from barristers and MJA members,  Dr Susan Mayor and ‘Professor’ Danny Buckland, and probing questions from members of the jury, ‘Justice’ Nicola Hill called on the jury to deliver their verdict: Guilty, as charged.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry was also ruled in contempt of the court for refusing to appear.

Justice Hill thanked jury foreman, John Illman, former editor of General Practitioner who now lectures in communication skills at the University of Cambridge; and the jury, which included Daily Mail Good Health editor, Justine Hancock; editor of the NHS Choices website Kathryn Bingham and thorn-in-the-side-of-pharma and freelance journalist Jerome Bourne before the court adjourned to the bar.