Information contained in the European Union (EU) Clinical Trials Register managed by the European Medicines Agency is available through the WHO International Clinical Trial Registry Platform (ICTRP). This follows recognition by the World Health Organization (WHO) in September 2011 of the EU Clinical Trials Register as one of the 'primary registries' for the ICTRP. The WHO and the Agency have worked together in developing the technical processes to allow data transfer from the EU Clinical Trials Register to ICTRP.
ICTRP is a web-based portal that allows access to a wide range of information from different clinical-trial registers from across the world. Primary registries meet specific criteria for content, quality, validity and transparency. Recognition as a primary registry is an endorsement of the importance of the EU Clinical Trials Register for potential clinical trial participants as well as sponsors, researchers, ethics committees and policymakers.
The EU Clinical Trials Register was launched by the Agency on 22 March 2011. The database contains information on clinical trials in the European Economic Area (EEA), as well as information on clinical trials conducted outside the EEA that form part of a paediatric investigation plan (PIP).
The availability of the register on the WHO ICTRP platform provides wider access to the information contained in the registry and contributes to the dissemination of information related to authorised clinical trials for use by the scientific community and the public.
As of 26 March 2012 the EU Clinical Trials Register is providing information on 17 141 clinical trials of which 2 252 are in paediatric subjects. The information sent to the WHO ICRTP is refreshed once a week.