ORCID Profile
0000-0003-0244-5620
Current Organisation
University of Oxford
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 26-09-2022
DOI: 10.1136/BMJEBM-2022-111987
Abstract: Making study materials available allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the scientific literature. Sharing can take many forms and include a wide variety of outputs including code and data. Biomedical research can benefit from increased transparency but faces unique challenges for sharing, for instance, confidentiality concerns around participants’ medical data. Both general and specialised repositories exist to aid in sharing most study materials. Sharing may also require skills and resources to ensure that it is done safely and effectively. Educating researchers on how to best share their materials, and properly rewarding these practices, requires action from a variety of stakeholders including journals, funders and research institutions.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 07-2018
DOI: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000000669
Abstract: Cognitive performance and inflammation are altered in people with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Yet, the magnitude of these changes has been unclear because of the potential influence of opioid analgesics. This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to explore whether patients with CLBP receiving long-term opioid analgesics differed from patients not taking opioids on measures of cognitive performance and plasma cytokine concentrations. Patients with CLBP who were either taking (N = 18) or not taking (N = 22) opioids daily for 3 or more months were recruited from a tertiary care private hospital and compared with healthy adults (N = 20). All groups were administered validated questionnaires to assess depression, anxiety, and stress a cognitive test of memory, attention, and executive function and a peripheral blood draw to measure proinflammatory (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-8, IL-12p70, TNF-α, and IFN-γ), anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13), and pleiotropic (IL-6) cytokine concentrations. Patients also completed pain-specific questionnaires. Patients receiving opioid analgesics performed significantly ( P 0.05) worse in attention and had significantly ( P 0.05) lower pain self-efficacy beliefs than those patients not taking opioids. Patient groups did not differ in mean pain severity or pain interference scores, tests of memory and executive function, and mean plasma cytokine concentrations, despite long-term opioid analgesics. Patients receiving long-term opioid analgesics for CLBP have minor differences when compared with patients not taking opioids. This has important clinical implications when considering long-term treatment for patients with CLBP.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 21-12-2021
DOI: 10.1136/BMJEBM-2021-111836
Abstract: Registration of health and medical research is an effective way of improving the transparency and credibility of evidence. Registration involves pre-specifying the research objectives, design, methods and analytic plan on a publicly accessible repository before conducting the study. Registration can reduce bias and improve the transparency and credibility of research findings. Registration is mandated for clinical trials, but it is also relevant to systematic reviews, observational and preclinical experimental research. This paper describes how researchers can register their research and outlines possible barriers and challenges in doing so. Widespread adoption of research registration can reduce research waste and improve evidence-informed clinical and policy decision making.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-09-2021
DOI: 10.1002/PDS.5360
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 28-01-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.01.26.22269868
Abstract: Cross-disciplinary openness and transparency of research plays an important role in scientific progress. We evaluated open-science related policies of 19 high ranking health and medical journals before (February 2020) and during (May 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic. The Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guideline and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) requirements for disclosing conflicts of interest (COIs) were used to audit journal policies. TOP scores slightly improved during the COVID-19 pandemic, from a median of 5 (IQR: 2-12.5) out of a possible 24 points in February 2020 to 7 (IQR: 4-12) in May 2021. Most journals fulfilled all ICMJE provisions for reporting COIs before (84% n=16) and during (95% n=18) the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of practising open science, however adherence to open science standards in audited policies was low overall, which may reduce progress in health and medical research.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-05-2019
DOI: 10.1111/AJR.12511
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 25-10-2019
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 24-01-2021
DOI: 10.1136/BMJEBM-2019-111296
Abstract: Scientific progress requires transparency and openness. The ability to critique, replicate and implement scientific findings depends on the transparency of the study design and methods, and the open availability of study materials, data and code. Journals are key stakeholders in supporting transparency and openness. This study aimed to evaluate 10 highest ranked pain journals’ authorship policies with respect to their support for transparent and open research practices. Two independent authors evaluated the journal policies (as at 27 May 2019) using three tools: the self-developed Transparency and Openness Evaluation Tool, the Centre for Open Science (COS) Transparency Factor and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) requirements for disclosure of conflicts of interest. We found that the journal policies had an overall low level of engagement with research transparency and openness standards. The median COS Transparency Factor score was 3.5 (IQR 2.8) of 29 possible points, and only 7 of 10 journals’ stated requirements for disclosure of conflicts of interest aligned fully with the ICMJE recommendations. Improved transparency and openness of pain research has the potential to benefit all that are involved in generating and using research findings. Journal policies that endorse and facilitate transparent and open research practices will ultimately improve the evidence base that informs the care provided for people with pain.
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Georgia C. Richards.