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Study registries serve various purposes. Primarily, they provide as complete an overview as possible on planned, ongoing and completed studies and are thus intended to contribute to transparency in research. As such, they are an instrument for identifying and reducing publication bias. Study registries can also help doctors and patients to identify suitable studies for them. The National Cancer Plan (NCP) calls for ensuring an efficient oncological treatment, which requires the knowledge derived from trials. Study registries can play an important role in their identification. This paper describes the purpose that study registries fulfil in oncology as well as their health policy rationale. It then discusses two registries relevant for oncology, i. e. StudyBox and the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), against the backdrop of the National Cancer Plan and introduces the cooperation of the two registries., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Transparency is essential for the efficient transfer of scientific knowledge from research into practice but is often impaired by non-publication of whole studies or by inappropriate publication of trial results. Prospective trial registration has the potential to increase transparency in scientific research because it allows the evaluation of trial methodology and the appraisal of potential publication bias. Trial registration is a scientific, ethical and moral obligation which needs self-commitment of researchers and sponsors to prospective trial registration. The urological trial register of the German Society of Urology is now affiliated with the German Register of Clinical Studies, a national primary register, which enables easy registration in the register network of the WHO.

Germany is an important hub for urological research and clinical trials are therefore very important for evidence-based medicine. In September 2010, the German Society of Urology commissioned a subject-specific clinical trial registry. The broad overview of ongoing and completed clinical trials in urology should help to increase transparency in research and to deploy resources in health care more efficiently. The urological trial registry aims to negotiate cooperation with a national primary registry to allow an automatic inclusion in the WHO Registry Network and to enable an ICMJE-compliant registry.