Promoting good research practice

Embarking on a new millennium provides the stimulus both to take stock and also to look forward. In the field of medical statistics there is much to m ake us feel proud and excited. Rapid methodological developments together w ith parallel developments in computer technology have enormously expanded o ur statistical repertoire. At the same time, the high profile attained by t he evidence-based medicine movement means that the importance of our discip line is recognized more widely then ever before. However, any medical stati stician who is involved in medical publishing, or who is even a regular rea der of the medical literature, must be aware of the yawning chasm between w hat is recognized as good statistical practice and what is actually publish ed. Poor study design, inappropriate analysis and selective reporting are c ommonplace. In my opinion the most important challenge currently facing our profession is the task of bridging this chasm.