Use of statins in general practices, 1996-8: cross sectional study

ConclusionsClinicians and those involved in service development sometimes dismiss academic research because of an "ivory tower" approach that pays too little attention to issues around service delivery.22 The nature of negotiated access to research subjects in primary care settings can have a direct effect not only on participation rates in research but also on the quality of the research data.23 If a trial is to be executed successfully, and its findings are to be applicable in a service setting, it is important to identify a trial design that can best reconcile the interests of research, development, and practice.Our analytical framework provides an approach by which it is possible to explore how particular characteristics of trial design appear from each perspective and thereby to assess the most satisfactory design options.The approach cannot assure that trial design will be straightforward and problem free, but early consideration of the perspectives of research, development, and practice might help to prevent fundamental problems arising later.The study was carried out in collaboration with the MRC General Practice Research Framework, and we are grateful to participating practice staff and Dr M Vickers.Contributors: AH and IN had the original idea