Clearly delineate an a priori hypothesis for the study and include primary and secondary outcomes |
Prespecify a specific measure to assess the primary and secondary outcomes. |
Attempt to employ translatable biomarkers. |
Consider issues of sex, timing of treatment, and age of animals. |
Determine inclusion and exclusion criteria. |
Demonstrate that the therapeutic compound reaches its intended target in a sufficient concentration to ensure that the hypothesis is being tested. |
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Carefully design a statistical analysis plan prior to initiation of the study |
Perform power analysis and sample size estimates prior to initiation of the study and take into account previously measured variability in the outcome measures. |
Include randomization methods for treatment groups and blinding procedures for those doing assessments. |
Include procedures for dealing with dropouts and deaths of animals in statistical analyses. |
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Reduce publication bias |
Report both positive results and negative ones in peer-reviewed journals or other open-access format. |
Report details of strain, housing, diet, dropout events and in-trial exclusions so that variables can be assessed. |
As in clinical trials, report the flow of animals through the treatment plan of the study. |
Indicate potential conflicts of interest and whether investigators are third-party or primary investigators invested in the hypothesis. |