Clinical Report: Studies on Suicide Prevention: Terminations, Withdrawals, and Suspensions
Overview
This study examines the prevalence and characteristics of discontinued suicide-related clinical trials. It finds that 7.6% of registered studies were discontinued, primarily due to recruitment and funding challenges.
Background
Suicide is a leading cause of death globally. Clinical trials are crucial for developing evidence-based interventions, yet many studies on suicidal thoughts and behaviors are discontinued. Understanding the reasons behind these discontinuations can help address barriers to conducting research in this area.
Data Highlights
Status
Count
Percentage
Completed
579
48.0%
Active
398
33.0%
Unknown
137
11.4%
Discontinued
91
7.6%
Key Findings
Of 1205 registered studies, 91 (7.6%) were discontinued.
Among discontinued studies, 52 (57.1%) were terminated, 35 (38.5%) were withdrawn, and 4 (4.4%) were suspended.
Recruitment problems were the most common reason for discontinuation (28.6%).
Funding issues accounted for 19.8% of discontinuations.
No studies reported discontinuation due to study-specific participant safety concerns.
90.1% of discontinued studies were interventional.
Clinical Implications
The findings suggest that recruitment and funding challenges are significant barriers to conducting suicide-related clinical trials. Addressing these issues may improve the feasibility of future studies in this area.
Conclusion
The study highlights the need for a systematic examination of the factors leading to the discontinuation of suicide-related trials.
National survey findings suggest many US adults report making health decisions based on social media despite widespread concerns about the accuracy of health information shared to the platforms.
