Agriculture

Researchers from Iowa State University describe findings in science

  2010 FEB 11 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "The conduct of randomized controlled trials in livestock with production, health, and food-safety outcomes presents unique challenges that might not be adequately reported in trial reports. The objective of this project was to modify the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement to reflect the unique aspects of reporting these livestock trials," investigators in the United States report.

  "A 2-day consensus meeting was held on November 18-19, 2008 in Chicago, IL, to achieve the objective. Before the meeting, a Web-based survey was conducted to identify issues for discussion. The 24 attendees were biostatisticians, epidemiologists, food-safety researchers, livestock production specialists, journal editors, assistant editors, and associate editors. Before the meeting, the attendees completed a Web-based survey indicating which CONSORT statement items would need to be modified to address unique issues for livestock trials. The consensus meeting resulted in the production of the REFLECT (Reporting Guidelines for Randomized Control Trials) statement for livestock and food safety and 22-item checklist. Fourteen items were modified from the CONSORT checklist, and an additional subitem was proposed to address challenge trials. The REFLECT statement proposes new terminology, more consistent with common usage in livestock production, to describe study subjects. Evidence was not always available to support modification to or inclusion of an item," wrote A.M. Oconnor and colleagues, Iowa State University.

  The researchers concluded: "The use of the REFLECT statement, which addresses issues unique to livestock trials, should improve the quality of reporting and design for trials reporting production, health, and food-safety outcomes."

  Oconnor and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (The REFLECT Statement: Methods and Processes of Creating Reporting Guidelines for Randomized Controlled Trials for Livestock and Food Safety. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2010;24(1):57-64).

  For additional information, contact A.M. Oconnor, Iowa State University, Vet Med Res Inst, Bldg 4, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

  The publisher of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine can be contacted at: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc., Commerce Place, 350 Main St., Malden 02148, MA, USA.

  Keywords: Agricultural, Agriculture, Food, Livestock, Iowa State University.

  This article was prepared by VerticalNews Agriculture editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, VerticalNews Agriculture via VerticalNews.com.