Italian RCT
Office for Research Promotion, Department of the Hospital Management and Pharmacy, Verona University Hospital, Verona; Alessandra Lisi International Centre on Birth Defects and Prematurity-ICBD, WHO Collaborating Centre, Rome; Healthcare Directorate, Verona University Hospital, Verona.
Dutch RCT
Community Genetics, Department of Clinical Genetics, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam; Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam; MediClara Projects BV, Abcoude; Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
THE ITALIAN FOLIC ACID TRIAL STUDY GROUP:
General Coordination Centre: Renata Bortolus, Francesca Filippini, Alessandra Compagni, Erika Rigotti, Antonella Noya di Lannoy (Verona University Hospital, Verona), Pierpaolo Mastroiacovo, Emanuele Leoncini (ICBD, Rome).
Experimental Medicine Management: Alessandra Compagni, Marilisa Coati, Silvia Manfrè, Roberto Barbazza (Verona University Hospital, Verona).
Study Investigators and Randomization Centres: Giovanni Zanconato, Maria Teresa Zenorini, Vittorio Travagliati, Elena Mantovani, Anna Angeli, Elena Cavaliere, Greta Cherubini, Alice Negretto, Elena Lavarini, Milena Ozzi, Nikolaos Papadopoulos (Verona University Hospital), Enrico Di Mambro, Maddalena Vessella (Adria Hospital), Giuseppe Ettore, Sebastiano Bianca, Chiara Barone (ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima, Catania), Erich Cosmi, Silvia Visentin, Martina Camerin (Azienda Ospedaliera of Padua), Paola Lanza (Bassano del Grappa Hospital), Simonetta Marinangeli (Family Planning Service, Bassano del Grappa), Giorgia Negrini, Alberto Ottaviani, Laura Zivelonghi (Bussolengo Hospital), Andrea Baffoni, Michaela Bertezzolo, Mara Pistolato (Conegliano Hospital), Enrico Ioverno (General Practitioner, Dueville), Edgardo Somigliana, Claudia Scarduelli, Federica Alagna, Giulia Santi (Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan), Elena Cesari (Gallarate Hospital), Paola Zanini, Achille Morandini (Legnago Hospital), Irene Cetin, Arianna Laoreti (Luigi Sacco Hospital, Milan), Chiara Tresso (General Practitioner, Malo), Maria Grazia Salviato (Family Planning Service, Martellago), Marina Matterazzo (Family Planning Service, Mira), Carlo Failli (Family Planning Service, Montebelluna), Maurizia Marzolini (Family Planning Service, Oderzo), Anna Casaro (Family Planning Service, Padua), Debora Balestreri, Elena Benassi, Elisa Caloi (S. Bonifacio Hospital), Francesco Libero Giorgino, Alessandra Schiavo (Family Planning Service, San Pietro di Stra), Gian Pietro Piazza (General Practitioner, Schio), Renato Ruffini (General Practitioner, Sovizzo), Gianfranco Jorizzo, Gaetana Cirelli, Francesca Arcidiacono, Anna De Toni, Silvia Rusconi (Thiene Hospital), Claudia Guaraldi (Valdagno Hospital), Patrizia Rosi, Graziella Mortaro (Family Planning Services, Verona), Laura Valotto, Angelo Guido (General Practitioners, Verona), Giuliano Zanni, Chiara Vernier (Vicenza Hospital), Anna Sandri (Family Planning Service, Vigonovo), Nedelia Minisci (Family Planning Service, Villorba).
THE DUTCH FOLIC ACID TRIAL STUDY GROUP:
General Coordination Centre: Martina Cornel, Mireille van Poppel, Fenneke Blom, Tamar Kruit (VU Medical Center, Amsterdam), Denhard de Smit (MediClara Projects BV) Hermien de Walle (UMCG, Groningen).
Research Centres (Community Pharmacies): Apotheek Bonnehûs, Leeuwarden; Apotheek Boterdiep, Groningen; Apotheek de Wijert, Groningen; Apotheek Delfzijl, Delfzijl; Apotheek Diephuis, Groningen; Apotheek Eemsmond, Uithuizen; Apotheek Greving, Leeuwarden; Apotheek Hoving, Bergum; Apotheek It Krúswâld, Kollum; Apotheek It Krúswâld Buitenpost; Apotheek Marum, Marum; Apotheek Neptunus, Delfzijl; Apotheek Salentijn, Appingedam; Apotheek Sappemeer, Sappemeer; Apotheek Scheemda, Scheemda; Apotheek Schoterpoort, Heerenveen; Apotheek Stadskanaal, Stadskanaal; Apotheek ‘t Hooge Zand; Apotheek Wildersgang, Delfzijl; Apotheek Winsum, Winsum; BENU Apotheek A-straat, Groningen; BENU Apotheek Borger, Borger; BENU Apotheek de Peeleres, Assen; BENU Apotheek Gorredijk, Gorredijk; BENU Apotheek Klazienaveen, Klazienaveen; BENU Apotheek Vredeveld, Assen; BENU Apotheek Workum, Workum; BENU Apotheek Zultherveld, Roden; Boots Apotheek Lewenborg, Groningen; Gezondheidscentrum Camminghaburen, Leeuwarden; Kring-apotheek Beijum, Groningen; Kring-Apotheek de Dorpsacker; Kring-apotheek Dokkumer Wâlden; Kring-apotheek Haskerbrug, Heerenveen; Kring-apotheek Karsten, Assen; Kring-Apotheek Postma, Sneek; Kring-apotheek Selwerd, Groningen; Kring-apotheek Stiens, Stiens; Kring-apotheek Swarte, Heerenveen; Kring-apotheek Zuidlaren, Zuidlaren; Linde Apotheek, Heerenveen; Mediq Apotheek Barentsen, Drachten; Mediq Apotheek Bedum, Bedum; Mediq Apotheek de Hondsrug, Emmen; Mediq Apotheek De Rietlanden, Emmen; Mediq Apotheek Haren, Haren; Mediq Apotheek Harkema, Harkema; Mediq-Apotheek Surhuisterveen, Surhuisterveen; Medsen Apotheek Hardegarijp, Hardegarijp; Peizer Apotheek, Peize; Pekelder Service-Apotheek, Nieuwe Pekela; Pekelder Service-Apotheek, Oude Pekela; Service-Apotheek Bilgaard, Leeuwarden; Service-Apotheek Boiten, Leeuwarden; Service-Apotheek De Griffioen, Wolvega; Service-Apotheek de Wissel, Noordwolde; Service-Apotheek Dokkum bij het Ziekenhuis, Dokkum; Service-Apotheek Dokkum Centrum, Dokkum; Service-Apotheek Eelde-Paterswolde, Paterswolde; Service Apotheek Emmen, Emmen; Service Apotheek Grootegast, Grootegast; Service-Apotheek Hanzeplein, Groningen; Service-Apotheek Hoogkerk, Groningen; Service-Apotheek Kranenborg, Hoogezand; Service-Apotheek Musselkanaal, Musselkanaal; Service-Apotheek Sasburg, Sneek; Service-Apotheek van der Sluis, Sneek; Service-Apotheek Themmen, Assen; Service-Apotheek West BV, Wolvega; Service-Apotheek Zuidhorn, Zuidhorn.
Authors’ contributions
Italian RCT: RB, FF, EL, PM are all members of the General Coordination Centre of the Italian folic acid trial study group. PM conceived the study. RB and PM participated in the project design, wrote the protocol and wrote the current manuscript. RB and FF coordinate the development of the study. PM and EL are in charge of the statistical analysis. PB, FF and EL critically reviewed and revised the manuscript. Dutch RCT: FB, MvP, DS, MC, and HdW are all members of the General Coordination Centre of the FoliumzuurExtra study group. MC, DS, and MvP conceived the Dutch study and participated in the project design. DS coordinated the execution of the recruitment strategy and lead the logistics of the intervention implementation. FB executed the study. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.