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To the Editor: The status of and experiences with clinical trial registration were reviewed by Dr Zarin and colleagues.¹ An issue that was not raised in this article was the unforeseen extra work generated for researchers as a result of the success of ClinicalTrials.gov in reaching the general public.

In the 2 years after registering a new investigation with ClinicalTrials.gov, I received hundreds of e-mails from patients and other nonclinicians. Most were interested in enrollment, even though the study had reached its target and was now closed. Some apparently viewed the e-mail link as access to obtain medical advice. A colleague contacted me for preliminary results before the trial was completed. I even received e-mails from persons trying sell me products for my office—ClinicalTrials.gov as a gateway to direct marketing!

It is likely that most researchers would feel obliged to answer such e-mail (except perhaps the spam). It is important . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Jais Oliver Berg, MD
joberg@dadlnet.dk
Department of Plastic Surgery
Odense University Hospital
Odense, Denmark

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