The Research Findings Register (ReFeR) is a freely available database providing 'prompt sight' of quality assured information on research findings that emerge from completed projects funded by the Department of Health in England.

ReFeR provides access to research findings in the gap between research completion and publication. Journal articles may not arise from an R&D project (especially if the outcome of the study is negative), or may not report comprehensively the findings of research studies. Also, journal articles often do not appear quickly enough, sometimes being delayed for up to five years, and may appear in any of hundreds of different journals.

Update Software has developed a new website for ReFeR on behalf of the Department of Health. It is also developing a new web-based authoring and publication system for ReFeR. This will be run in partnership with the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination.

The ReFeR website uses a fast search engine with a number of "advanced search" options. Records identified by a search provide summary information from research studies, often well before formal publications are available, together with 'signposts' to fuller information where this exists.

Update Software has also developed a "metadata repository" under the Open Archives Initiative. This provides a standards-compliant way for information about summaries in ReFeR to be made available to other electronic archives and search engines.