Tools for a correct design and quality assessment of pragmatic randomized controlled trials: PRECIS, PR-tool and Pragmascope tool

Abstract

Identification of scientific data in the systematic reviews required for the rational decisions on health policy is an important tool in determining the validity of the financing of treatment from public funds based on the health technology assessment (HTA). The primary source of scientific medical evidence are randomized controlled trials (RCTs), but their features markedly reduce the possibility of the transfer of the results to the routine practice. In this situation an important role begin to play pragmatic randomized controlled trials (pRCTs), providing highly reliable information about drug effectiveness in contrast to observational studies or registries. Here, we described three suitable universal tools, which can be used during the designing or evaluation of reliability of pRCTs: PRECIS, PR-tool and Pragmascope tool. 2013 © Curr. Issues Pharm. Med. Sci.