Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42231173›Full record

ArticleBMC medical research methodology2026

The GALENOS approach to triangulating evidence: a structured approach for integrating information from human and animal studies.

Thomy Tonia, Julian P T Higgins, Virginia Chiocchia, James Downs, Emily Wheeler, Jennifer Potts, Katharine A Smith, Malcolm Macleod, Gin S Malhi, Andrea Cipriani and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical research methodology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Thomy ToniaInstitute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. thomai.tonia@unibe.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7896-6188
Julian P T HigginsPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8323-2514
Virginia ChiocchiaInstitute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6196-3308
James DownsMQ Mental Health Research, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4321-8574
Emily WheelerMQ Mental Health Research, London, UK.
Jennifer PottsDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-8846-9159
Katharine A SmithDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2679-1472
Malcolm MacleodCentre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9187-9839
Gin S MalhiDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4524-9091
Andrea CiprianiDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5179-8321
Georgia SalantiInstitute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3830-8508

Funding

Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust GALENOS project
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMost decision-making research involves collating multiple types of evidence, and such integration should be a core component of investigative practice in science. Triangulation is one formal approach that has proven effective, typically drawing on sources of evidence with different biases. However, there remains no standardised method for its implementation and no clear guidance on how to apply triangulation in research contexts-particularly when synthesising evidence across human and animal data.

methodsGALENOS (Global Alliance for Living Evidence on aNxiety, depressiOn and pSychosis) has introduced GATE (GALENOS Approach to Triangulating Evidence), a multifaceted framework for such triangulation. To further develop GATE, we here systematically searched the literature for work describing triangulation processes for human and animal data.

resultsAs a key component of GATE, we provide conceptual details and practical guidance on how to prepare, organise, conduct, and follow up on triangulation meetings.

conclusionsBased on findings from this literature and our experience with GATE, we updated our approach.

Indexed as

Research DesignAnimalsDecision MakingHumansCo-productionEvidence synthesisLiving systematic reviewMental healthRisk of biasTriangulationTriangulation meeting

Identifiers

PMID42231173
PMCPMC13445838

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.