Stroke is a major burden to patients and society, and resources spent on stroke research must be used efficiently and show improvements in human health. However, many instances of poor value from stroke research funding have resulted from the way in which stroke research topics have been chosen and how studies have been designed, conducted, analyzed, regulated, managed, disseminated, or reported. Summarized in this article, a cooperative effort of European stroke researchers identified sources of inefficiency and waste, recommended approaches to increase value, and highlighted examples of best practice in stroke research. Based on some evidence, the authors concluded that progress has been made, but also mention a high potential for improvements.

 Researchers, funders, regulators, and other stakeholders in stroke research might consider these recommendations when planning new research.