Standardized Registration Journal Alliance

Establishing a standardized clinical trial registration system is a key step in improving the quality of clinical evidence. In February 2023, ITMCTR was officially approved as a Primary Registry under the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). This milestone signifies that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and global traditional medicine now have a dedicated clinical trial registration platform, marking the formation of an independent international registration system for traditional medicine clinical trials. This is of great significance in showcasing the unique characteristics of traditional medicine within a scientific research framework, enhancing the quality of TCM and traditional medicine evidence and laying the foundation for the high-quality development of traditional medicine.

The support of medical journals is a crucial force in standardizing the registration of traditional medicine clinical trials. On April 28, 2023, ITMCTR, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology Innovation of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and two other institutions, initiated the Joint Initiative on Standardizing Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registration under the theme “Standardizing Clinical Trial Research to Highlight the Advantages of Traditional Medicine”.

Our Initiative Proposes the Following:
· Establish a transparent, objective, and traceable registration system for traditional medicine clinical trials to improve the quality of published research.
· Develop technical and academic guidelines for traditional medicine clinical trial registration, ensuring higher registration quality.
· Encourage prospective clinical trials to register with ITMCTR, a WHO Primary Registry, and incorporate registration requirements into journal submission guidelines.
· Recommend mandatory registration for prospective clinical research reports and prioritize publication of trials with a WHO Primary Registry number.
· Enhance retrospective analysis of clinical research reports, reducing selective reporting and publication bias in traditional medicine clinical trials.
· Foster an academic culture that values clinical trial registration and promote its importance to enhance the international impact of traditional medicine clinical trial registration.

Initiating Organizations of the Joint Initiative:
· Department of Science and Technology Innovation, China Association for Science and Technology
· China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
· China Center for Evidence-Based Traditional Chinese Medicine

Participating Medical Journal Institutions and Journals:
· Chinese Medical Association Publishing House
· Journal Department, Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine
· West China Journal Press, West China Hospital, Sichuan University
· Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Chinese & English editions)
· Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine (Chinese & English editions)
· China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica
· Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
· Chinese Journal of Basic Medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine
· Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion
· Acupuncture Research
· Chinese Journal of Orthopedics and Traumatology
· Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine
· Zhongnan Medical Journal, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University

Join the Standardized Registration Journal Alliance
Medical journals are welcome to join our alliance and support the standardization of traditional medicine clinical trial registration.