Michael Ferraro

INSPECT-SR: a tool for assessing trustworthiness of randomised controlled trials The integrity of evidence synthesis is threatened by problematic randomised controlled trials (RCTs). These are RCTs where there are serious concerns about the trustworthiness of the data or findings....

www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

INSPECT-SR: A tool for assessing trustworthiness of randomised controlled trials.

To do no harm, we must first “know harms”. The challenge of ... : PAIN An abstract is unavailable.

To do no harm, we must first “know harms”
Our new perspective piece on the
challenge of measuring and reporting adverse
events in interventions for pain is now available in @painthejournal.bsky.social dx.doi.org/10.1097/j.pa...
@iasp.bsky.social @efic.bsky.social @britishpainsoc.bsky.social

Is medical practice ahead of the evidence?

@efic.bsky.social @britishpainsoc.bsky.social @auspainsoc.bsky.social

@james-mcauley.bsky.social @neiloconnell.bsky.social @iasp.bsky.social @anzca-fpm.bsky.social

Ketamine and other NMDA receptor antagonists for chronic pain - Ferraro, MC - 2025 | Cochrane Library Select your preferred language for Cochrane reviews and other content. Sections without translation will be in English.

Out today 🚨 Our Cochrane review of 67 RCTs finds no clear evidence of benefit for ketamine or other NMDA antagonists for chronic pain. IV ketamine associated with risk of psychotomimetic effects, nausea, and vomiting. doi.org/10.1002/1465...

Despite a large body of new evidence, our best treatments for neuropathic pain continue to provide only modest benefits, write Michael Ferraro and Dr Nadia Soliman

buff.ly/F5irUsl

One-Page Patient Fact Sheets for Low Back Pain in Primary Care url:https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2836549?utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=content-shareicons&utm_content=article_engagement&utm_medium=social&utm_term=072425

Despite a large body of new evidence, our best treatments for neuropathic pain continue to provide only modest benefits, write Michael Ferraro and Dr Nadia Soliman

buff.ly/F5irUsl

Efficacy and safety of esketamine for treatment resistant depression: registered report for a Systematic Review with an Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis of Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Contr... Background In 2019, the FDA and EMA approved intranasal esketamine for treatment resistant depression (TRD). The current study re–evaluated its efficacy and safety. Methods This registered report pres...

🥁 This week, we submitted to BMC medicine our stage 2 registered report "Efficacy and safety of esketamine for ‘treatment-resistant depression’: registered report for a systematic review with an individual patient data meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials". 🧵

Visual Abstract

RCT: Among patients with low back pain, a nondirective information sheet listing treatment options improved patient-reported preparedness for decision-making more than a directive advice sheet. https://ja.ma/4nUr96z

One-Page Patient Fact Sheets for Low Back Pain in Primary Care This randomized clinical trial compares the effects of 1-page fact sheets that adopt either an information-listing approach or a direct advice approach on management of low back pain to prepare patien...

One-Page Patient Fact Sheets for Low Back Pain in Primary Care

Fact sheets do better than regular advice to support shared decision making!

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

ENTRUST-PE: endorsement by senior editors of 15 Pain and Anaesthesiology Journals We are beyond delighted that the ENTRUST-PE framework has been endorsed by the Editors in Chief of 15 International Pain and Anaesthesiology journals. Those editors are copublishing, across the journa...

Delighted that the editors of 15 Pain and Anaesthesiology have chosen to endorse and amplify the ENTRUST-PE framework. More info here: www.linkedin.com/pulse/entrus...

@iasp.bsky.social @efic.bsky.social @britishpainsoc.bsky.social @ukrio.bsky.social @coarassessment.bsky.social

#PAIN joins with other editors of pain-related journals to affirm our editorial commitment to trust and integrity in science. Read our joint statement at bit.ly/4lj3b3b

Editorial: The editors-in-chief from @thejournalofpain.bsky.social & other pain/anesthesia journals come together to align and strengthen initiatives to enhance research integrity, trust, and impact across our field.

Full: doi.org/10.1016/j.jp...

Editorial commitment to trust and integrity in science:... : PAIN An abstract is unavailable.

Editorial commitment to trust and integrity in science: implications for pain and anesthesiology research journals.lww.com/pain/fulltex...

Assessing the feasibility and impact of clinical trial trustworthiness checks via an application to Cochrane Reviews: Stage 2 of the INSPECT-SR project - Journal of Clinical Epidemiology www.jclinepi.com/article/S089...

International #ResearchIntegrity conference taking place in beautiful Sydney Australia on 16-18 November 2025 🐨 🌏
Great speakers including @elisabethbik.bsky.social @jdwilko.bsky.social @jasonchin.bsky.social
For more info contact
@simongandevia.bsky.social 🧪

International Research Integrity Conference. I am arranging this in Sydney in November 16-18th 2025. researchintegrityconf.com Note the excellent speaker list. Contact me!

Investigating the impact of trial retractions on the healthcare evidence ecosystem (VITALITY Study I): retrospective cohort study Objective To investigate the impact of retracted trials on the production and use of healthcare evidence in the evidence ecosystem. Design Retrospective cohort study based on forward citation searchi...

www.bmj.com/content/389/...

"Evidence from 68 systematic reviews with conclusions distorted by retracted trials was used in 157 guideline documents."

Updated @iasp.bsky.social NeuPSIG systematic review & guideline for treatment of neuropathic pain now published in @thelancetneuro.bsky.social. A privilege to contribute to this project, brilliantly led by @nadiasoliman.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1016/S147...

Inclusion of Retracted Studies in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Interventions This systematic review and meta-analysis identifies reports of systematic reviews that included retracted studies in their meta-analyses, and assesses the impact of these retracted studies on the resu...

Inclusion of Retracted Studies in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Interventions

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Misleading marketing claims fuel tapentadol prescriptions German drugmaker Grünenthal pushed its latest opioid as a safer option. People around the world got hooked. Madlen Davies, Hristio Boytchev, and Rafael Cabrera report.

File under “Never take the company’s word for it” www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

@iasp.bsky.social @efic.bsky.social

Antidepressants for low back pain and spine‐related leg pain - Ferraro, MC - 2025 | Cochrane Library Select your preferred language for Cochrane reviews and other content. Sections without translation will be in English.

What are the benefits and harms of antidepressants for low back pain and spine‐related leg pain?

Find out in our Cochrane review, published today: doi.org/10.1002/1465...

Fantastic to make the front cover of @journalofpain with the featured article “Enhancing the trustworthiness of pain research: A call to action” www.jpain.org/article/S152...

It’s open access so get downloading!

Lethal Greed: How Corporate Manipulation of Science and Regulation Makes People Sick - Inside Climate News Scientists launch a new research center to study what they say is now a leading disease risk factor: corporations.

Great article on the launch of our new Center to End Corporate Harm at @ucsf-prhe.bsky.social by @lizagross.bsky.social

Through empirical investigations, our work will aim to prevent the leading risk factor for death and disease globally.

bit.ly/434MfqU

Webinars

Building trust in pain research - a webinar describing the ENTRUST-PE project, March 7th: europeanpainfederation.eu/efic-webinars/

Need help on reporting your factorial trial? Then this new paper in the @bmj.com provides lots of great advice and examples.

www.bmj.com/content/388/...

#transparency #RCTs