[The preliminary draft of the methodology report by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute].

There is a mismatch between results of clinical trials and the needs of patients. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) in the US will commission research that supports patients and providers of care to make informed decisions. The preliminary draft of a methodology report presented by PCORI contains methodological standards which researchers will have to take into account when applying for funds from PCORI. An innovative instrument, the "Translation Tool" has been introduced to judge the best match between a specific research question and the corresponding methods. The "Translation Tool" structures the necessary trade-offs (e.g. between validity, patient-centered endpoints, timeliness, and resources) in a transparent manner. This article summarizes the development, structure and content of the methodology report. (As supplied by publisher).