I had a valid idea for a meta-analysis involving multiple prospective & retrospective studies with no prior meta-analyses on the same chosen sub-population.
When confirming the validity of my idea on PROSPERO, I found out that another team registered a protocol involving the same exact idea in late 2021 (with the most recent update in early 2022).
So far, this team has produced no research output.
I got in touch with the correspondent on PROSPERO via e-mail to enquire about any recent updates but got no reply.
How could one approach such a scenario? I fear that while working on the meta-analysis, the other team may publish their study (with the same idea), which would result in the duplication of evidence.
Thank you beforehand.
Many similar meta-analyses are published within a short time frame (e.g., several months or one year), but I understand your concerns. If the new meta-analysis is largely redundant, it could be interpreted as a waste of resources. However, if, after reading the PROSPERO protocol, you have the impression that you don't agree with some critical decisions and would change some aspects (e.g., include more databases, optimize search strings, broaden the scope of the review), then it might be worth doing your own meta-analysis.
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