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Updated 2/14/2017
DRAFT FINAL RESEARCH REPORT:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR AWARDEE
OVERVIEW
PCORI aims to help people make informed healthcare decisions and to improve healthcare delivery and
outcomes. The Final Research Report is one element of PCORI’s effort to disseminate the results of
PCORI-funded studies to stakeholders across the healthcare community, consistent with PCORI’s
legislative mandate
. Before a Draft Final Research Report (DFFR) is accepted as the Final Research
Report and posted on PCORI’s website, it undergoes peer review and, if necessary, revision by the
awardee.
PEER REVIEW AND PUBLIC RELEASE OF RESEARCH FINDINGS
PCORI requires that a project’s DFRR undergoes peer review to assess the scientific integrity
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of the
research, whether the evidence and analyses support the conclusions of the report, and the extent to
which the study adheres to PCORI’s Methodology Standards. In our peer review process, we also ask
whether the findings are potentially helpful to patients, clinicians, and others in making better
healthcare decisions. This peer review process aims to enhance the quality, credibility, trustworthiness,
and usefulness of PCORI-funded research findings for all stakeholders.
Peer
reviewers will include methodologists and statisticians, subject matter experts, patients and
caregivers, and other stakeholders. Awardees are asked to suggest up to four candidates to serve as
peer reviewers; however, our editors may invite different or additional reviewers. PCORI expects peer
reviewers to provide unbiased and constructive critiques of the DFRR. When contacting a potential peer
reviewer, the editors will instruct the individual to decline the reviewing assignment if he or she
identifies a potential conflict of interest.
For the peer review process to work as intended, awardees must comply with PCORI’s requirements for
study registration, results reporting, and preparation of the report. The report must include all results
stemming from the complete performance of the final study protocol.
Study Registration
PCORI awardees are required to register their studies in a publicly available database, usually
ClinicalTrials.gov or HSRProj
, consistent with the project’s PCORI funding agreement. The requirements
for registering PCORI-funded studies are described in detail in PCORI’s Process for Peer Review of
Primary Research and Public Release of Research Findings, adopted by the PCORI Board of Governors.
Registration, which includes description of elements of the study protocol, should take place as early as
possible after PCORI announces the award and before enrolling the first study patient.
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Scientific integrity includes transparency and objectivity of the research process, reproducibility of the research
results, and adherence to the ethical principles of scientific communication.
PCORI Draft Final Research Report: Instructions for Awardees 1