The IPD Integrity Tool is a structured framework designed to help researchers screen randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for integrity issues using individual participant data (IPD). It aims to identify potential concerns about data quality and trial authenticity—issues that can undermine trust in evidence-based healthcare.
As evidence synthesis increasingly relies on IPD, ensuring the integrity of this data is vital. The tool enables systematic reviewers and other users of IPD to identify red flags and take appropriate actions before including trials in meta-analyses.
The tool comprises a checklist of items to assess the integrity of trials, grouped across domains such as data patterns, randomisation, baseline characteristics, internal/external consistency, and plausibility. It is based on expert consensus and grounded in real-world trial examples.
We welcome collaboration to further validate, implement, and refine the tool across different datasets and research contexts.
Contact: techlab@sydney.edu.au