ARC trial protocol published!

The study protocol for the Australian-led ARC trial (Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery versus Placebo Surgery) has nowbeen published in Trials:

Read the full protocol

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ARC is a multicenter, placebo-surgery controlled randomized trial that investigates the effectiveness of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in patients with degenerative, atraumatic rotator cuff tears. The trial is led by Professor Ian Harris and colleagues in Sydney, Australia.

Australia has been at the forefront of placebo-controlled surgical trials since the landmark NEJM trial on vertebroplasty (Buchbinderet al., 2009) and continues this legacy through trials like SUcceSS (Ferreira et al., 2019).The ARC trial follows in this tradition—now tackling one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures worldwide.

FICEBO has been closely involved in the planning of ARC and has a long track record in this research space of placebo-surgery controlled trial (FIDELITY, FIMPACT, and the Canadian-led FIRST trial). Initially invited as external advisors, we are now proud to join ARC as an active recruitment site. Our participation is led by Tuomas Lähdeoja, Thomas Ibounig, and PirjoToivonen, in collaboration with the Upper Extremity Unit at Helsinki University Hospital and coordinated by Leena Caravitis.

ARC has been recruiting in Australia for some time, and with the protocol now published and recruitment expanding internationally, we are pleased to support this important effort.

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