March 2025 marks the third anniversary of Cochrane’s commitment to Public Involvement in Health and Social Care Research, a pledge launched in 2022. This commitment underscores Cochrane's ongoing efforts  to enhance its practice of public involvement, ensuring that the voices of the users of our evidence are at the heart of health and social care evidence.

Excellent public involvement is an essential part of health and social care research and improves the quality and impact of research. Excellent public involvement is inclusive, values all contributions, ensures people have a meaningful say in what happens, and influences outcomes, as set out in the UK Standards for Public Involvement.

Cochrane is proud to be one of the thirty two organizations in partnership on this important initiative. Together, partners connect during quarterly Learning and Sharing meetings to share best practices and new developments, amplifying excellent public involvement and maximising resources for optimised efforts and impact.

Reflecting on this milestone, April English, Cochrane’s Consumer Engagement Manager, states: “Our commitment to public involvement is key to advancing health and social care research and demonstrating our value for the invaluable contributions of patients and the public, ultimately improving the quality and impact of research.”

“People have the right to be involved in all health and social care research,” Ana Beatriz Pizarro, member of the Consumer Network Executive, reflects. “People’s lived experiences should be a key driver for health and social care research.”

Key Achievements and Initiatives

Over the past three years, Cochrane has taken significant steps to strengthen public involvement, including:

• Cochrane’s Consumer Network: In 2025, three new members joined the Consumer Network Executive, and as of January 2025, over 2,500 members have joined the Consumer Network. Both, strengthening the community of people interested in high-quality health evidence, and in helping to be a part of producing and sharing evidence.
• Reporting Consumer Involvement: Since 2024, all new Cochrane reviews must report on consumer involvement.
• Consumer Representation on Editorial Board: The Editorial Board is responsible for supporting Cochrane’s Editor in Chief and overseeing the production of Cochrane Reviews and other Cochrane Library content. The Editorial Board includes representation from the Consumer Network.
• Consumer Peer Review of Submitted Cochrane Reviews and Protocols: Recent consumer peer reviews include Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation, Interventions implemented through sporting organisations for promoting healthy behaviour or improving health outcomes, Prevention of self‐harm and suicide in young people up to the age of 25 in education settings, and Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries. 
• The Co-Production Methods Group: Launched in October 2023, this group advances research on co-production methods, shares best practices, and supports learning to help systematic review authors engage meaningfully with healthcare consumers.
• Evidence Essentials:  A free, online learning module co-produced by healthcare consumers, researchers, and Cochrane specialists, helping people understand health evidence and make informed health choices. In 2024, module six was launched on critical appraisal of rapid reviews.
• Learning Live Webinars:  A series of free webinars tailored for different audiences, including review authors and the public, providing guidance on engaging with Cochrane evidence and making research more accessible.

Cochrane’s Framework for Public Involvement

Cochrane’s framework for consumer engagement and involvement focuses on five key elements:

1. Engagement: Strengthening communication, evidence dissemination, recruitment, and learning opportunities for consumers.
2. Co-Production: Increasing consumer involvement in evidence production and governance to align research with user needs.
3. Accessibility: Enhancing health literacy and making Cochrane evidence easier to access and understand.
4. Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with patient groups and other stakeholders to advance engagement, co-production, and advocacy efforts.
5. Evaluation and Reporting: Establishing key engagement and involvement metrics for evaluating and reporting the impact of Cochrane’s engagement and involvement activity. 
   
   
   

How to Get Involved?

There are many ways to play a part in health and social care research  at Cochrane.

Join Cochrane's Consumer Network, a large and growing community of people across the world. We welcome patients, carers and the public who are interested in getting involved in and sharing high-quality health evidence.

Cochrane Engage and Cochrane Crowd are always looking for volunteers to get involved with research.

• Learn more about Cochrane’s commitment to healthcare consumers
• Contact the Cochrane’s Consumer Engagement Manager or Cochrane’s Consumers Network Executive at consumers@cochrane.org 
  

 

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Title:  Digital Marketing Manager
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £52,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) resident in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Development and External Relations Directorate
Closing date: 19 March, 2025

The Digital Marketing Manager is an exciting new role that reflects the strategic importance of digital marketing to Cochrane, an internationally renowned charity providing high-quality health evidence.

You will establish and oversee the organization’s digital marketing function, recruiting and managing a part-time (0.6 FTE) Digital Marketing Officer. Together you will deliver high-quality, targeted digital marketing campaigns that inspire engagement and support from a range of audiences.

This role will oversee both brand marketing for diverse audiences and B2B/B2C marketing aimed primarily at universities and academics. Brand marketing will involve ownership of Cochrane’s social media accounts and oversight of email marketing, working closely with colleagues who manage the CRM (SugarCRM). Commercial marketing will include promoting academic conferences, on-demand training courses, and specialist software (SaaS).

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here.
• The deadline to receive your application is 19 March, 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.
• Interviews will be held on w/c 24 March 2025.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement.
• Read our Candidate pack for more information on the hiring process and staff benefits

 

Friday, March 7, 2025 Category: Jobs

A new Cochrane review has found evidence that music-based therapy may benefit people living with dementia, particularly by improving symptoms of depression. 

Dementia is a collective term for progressive degenerative brain syndromes that affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion. Alzheimer’s Disease International reported that there were 55 million people with dementia worldwide in 2019, a figure predicted to increase to 139 million by 2050. While some medicines are available, the therapeutic use of music is considered a relatively simple and inexpensive approach that remains accessible even in the later stages of dementia.  

The research team from several institutions in the Netherlands examined evidence from 30 studies involving 1,720 people. The studies investigated the effects of music-based therapeutic interventions on emotional well-being including quality of life, mood disturbance, behavioural problems, social behaviour, and cognition. Most participants were in care homes, with interventions delivered either individually or in group settings. 

The trials were primarily conducted in high-income countries, including Australia, Taiwan, the US, and various European countries.  Almost all the therapies included active elements (such as playing instruments), often combined with receptive elements (such as listening to live music provided by a therapist).

"This review increases our understanding of the effects of music therapy and strengthens the case for incorporating music in dementia care, particularly in care home settings.

“Music therapy offers benefits beyond those of other group activities, helping to support mood and behaviour in a way that is engaging and accessible, even in later stages of dementia. Care home managers should consider integrating structured musical sessions as part of a person-centred approach to dementia care.”

- Jenny van der Steen, lead author from Leiden University Medical Center and Radboudumc Alzheimer Center.

The findings suggest that music-based therapy probably improves depressive symptoms and may improve overall behavioural problems by the end of treatment. Music therapy is unlikely to significantly impact agitation, aggression, emotional well-being, or cognition but, when compared to other interventions, there is some evidence that it may improve social behaviour and could decrease anxiety. 

Long-term effects, beyond four weeks after treatment, may be smaller but remain uncertain due to the limited number of trials monitoring effects after treatment ends.

The review also highlights the growing recognition of non-pharmacological interventions in dementia care. 

“Music therapy is a drug-free way of helping people feel less sad and less anxious. We hope that the higher quality of recent studies and increasing evidence-base will result in more attention being given to music therapy and other non-pharmacological approaches.

"Looking at the effect sizes, music therapy is a reasonable alternative to pharmacological approaches and is much more person-centred.”

- Annemieke Vink, co-author from ArtEZ University of the Arts who has first-hand experience delivering music therapy to people with dementia.

The review underscores the need for further research into the long-term effects of music-based therapy particularly in community settings. Much of the existing evidence comes from care homes, so expanding studies to community-based environments could provide valuable insights into how music therapy can be integrated into everyday life for people living with dementia.

• Read the Cochrane review and the plain language summary
• Read the press release in Spanish

 

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Title:  Systematic Reviewer
Specifications: Permanent – Part time (0.6 FTE)
Salary: £45,000 per annum (£27,000 per annum at 0.6 FTE)
Location: (Remote) resident in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Development and External Relations Directorate
Closing date: 17 March, 2025

As a Systematic Reviewer you will assist with the provision and delivery of commissioned systematic reviews and review tasks for Cochrane Response, Cochrane’s evidence consultancy unit.

Cochrane Response provides a broad range of literature review and evidence synthesis services to international policy makers and guideline developers to support evidence informed healthcare decision making. We work closely with Cochrane networks to increase Cochrane’s capacity to respond to requests for commissioned evidence reviews and tailored evidence services.

This position is aligned with Cochrane’s strategy to secure the long-term sustainability of the organisation by ensuring the success of Cochrane Response as a business unit that produces relevant information to guide healthcare decisions and responds to the needs of our stakeholders.

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here.
• The deadline to receive your application is 17th March, 2025.  We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.
• Interviews will be held on w/c 24th March 2025.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement.
• Read our Candidate pack for more information on the hiring process and staff benefits.

 

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Category: Jobs

We are delighted to announce a new, joint Methods Group between the Cochrane Collaboration, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in evidence synthesis. 

The rapidly growing evidence base and the increasing complexity of methods makes completing timely, high-quality, and comprehensive evidence synthesis, more and more challenging. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation promises to help address this, and make it possible to keep up with the demand and expectations of users of evidence synthesis. But to realize this potential, we - as a collective across the whole evidence synthesis ecosystem - need to ensure AI doesn’t compromise on the principles of research integrity in which evidence synthesis was built. Therefore, this Methods Group will help define and support responsible AI use across four of the leading evidence synthesis organizations, including the Cochrane Collaboration, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE).   

As a Methods Group, we aim to: 

• Spearhead methods research and development and act as a bridge between evidence synthesis organizations and the wider research community. 
• Define best practice and ensure guidance for accepted methods is up to date. 
• Support the implementation of new or amended methods by acting as an advisor or through involvement in methods implementation in our respective evidence synthesis organizations.  

Spearheading methods research and development and act as a bridge between evidence synthesis organizations and the wider research community. 

We are part of the International Collaboration for Automation in Systematic Reviews (ICASR) and recommend those who want to share and discuss AI methods research, developments and opportunities, do so via the ICASR LinkedIn group, as we will as a Methods Group. 

Across our Methods Group, we are also involved in other key developments in the evidence synthesis ecosystem, including the Evidence Synthesis Infrastructure Collaborative safe and responsible use of AI working group. 

Our aim is for the Methods Group to work across these organizations and developments in the field and facilitate discussion and critical thinking, particularly around standards for accuracy, evaluations and validation, with events, webinars and other activities.  

Defining best practice and ensuring guidance for accepted methods is up to date. 

We are involved the responsible AI use in evidence synthesis recommendations and guidance (RAISE), which offers tailored advice for a diverse range of roles in the evidence synthesis ecosystem. Whether you're an evidence synthesist, methodologist, AI developer, or an organization or publisher involved in evidence synthesis, this guidance is a first step to help clarify your responsibilities and alleviate some of the concerns around AI use. For more information see the RAISE Open Science Framework project page. 

One of our first actions as a Methods Group will be to  provisionally endorse the next version of the RAISE recommendations and guidance for use in Cochrane, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE), which  is due to be released soon. 

Supporting the implementation of new or amended methods by acting as an advisor or through involvement in the methods implementation projects.  

The Methods Group has individuals from across four of the major evidence synthesis organizations, and even though implementation of AI and automation is the responsibility of each organization individually, by coming together we can aim to align best practice and share lessons learned on effective approaches. Our implementation will be based on the RAISE recommendations, with more details being shared in the coming months.  

As a first step, we are in the process of defining our position on AI and automation for researchers and authors within our organizations, to ensure they have clarity and are empowered to use them in their evidence synthesis. 

Our implementation will also consider how we can we improve AI literacy across our organizations, including how we can work with methodologists and trainers, so researchers and editors have the skills they need to ensure AI is used responsibly and reported transparently.  

 

Methods Group Convenors: 

• Ella Flemyng (Cochrane, UK)
• Gerald Gartlehner (University for Continuing Education Krems and Cochrane Austria, Austria)
• Zoe Jordan (JBI, Australia)
• Biljana Macura (Stockholm Environmental Institute and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence, Sweden)
• Joerg Meerpohl (University of Freiburg and Cochrane Germany, Germany)
• Will Moy (Campbell, UK)
• Anna Noel Storr (Cochrane, UK)
• James Thomas (UCL, UK) 

Want to find out more? 

Register for the webinar on ‘Recommendations and guidance on responsible AI in evidence synthesis’ on 3 June 2025, part of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods in evidence synthesis series, to find out about why we all need to embrace responsible AI and how this Methods Group will support it. 

Also see our AI Methods Group website, which includes a news and events section. You can also follow each individual organization for more news and information as the Group develops. 

 

 

Friday, February 28, 2025

Title:  Head of Publishing Operations 
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time 
Salary: £63,000 per annum 
Location: (Remote) resident in the UK, Germany or Denmark.  
Directorate: Publishing and Technology Directorate 
Closing date: 14 March, 2025 

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Head of Publishing Operations to lead and manage Cochrane’s publishing systems and processes. In this key role, you will act as liaison between internal teams, external technology suppliers, and our publishing partner, ensuring smooth, efficient and innovative xml-first workflows from submission to publication. You will oversee the performance of our publishing technology, manage vendor relationships, and drive continuous improvements to our production processes. With a strong focus on operational excellence, stakeholder collaboration, and author experience, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring Cochrane’s publishing systems and processes are efficient, reliable, and aligned with our strategic goals. 

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally. 

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate. 

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values. 

How to apply 

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here. 
• The deadline to receive your application is 14th March, 2025.  We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples. 
• Interviews will be held on w/c 24th March, 2025.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement
• Read our Candidate pack for more information on the hiring process and staff benefits 

Friday, February 28, 2025 Category: Jobs

Title:  Head of Finance
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £63,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark.
Closing date: 7 March, 2025

As an experienced and qualified Accountant, you will lead and manage Cochrane’s finance functions; developing and implementing strategies, policies and systems to ensure that they are provided in an effective and efficient manner to support the strategic aims and operational activities of the organisation. You will also contribute to Cochrane’s financial sustainability through inputs to fundraising, product & business development and robust financial management.

Reporting to the Director of Finance & Corporate Services, you will lead our small, friendly and dedicated Finance Team, responsible for the effective management and control of the financial function of a medium sized dynamic Charity. This is a pivotal role leading the financial outcomes, which will directly support senior leadership and top-level decision making and closely partner an array of key non-finance colleagues across the Charity.

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace.

So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here.
• The deadline to receive your application is 7 March 2025.  We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.
• Interviews will be held on 20 and 21 March 2025.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement
• Read our Candidate pack for more information on the hiring process and staff benefits

Monday, February 24, 2025 Category: Jobs

We are pleased to announce that earlier this week, Cochrane’s status as a non-State actor (NSA) in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) was renewed at the 156th session of the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva.

The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified representatives from different Member States, elected for three-year terms. Every year, the Executive Board meets at WHO headquarters to discuss global health priorities for the year ahead and sets the agenda for the World Health Assembly.

The renewal of our official relations status is underpinned by a new joint plan of work for the next three years, which focuses on providing WHO with evidence syntheses that will help inform guidelines, the essential medicines list, methodological assistance and training, supporting activities that facilitate the use of evidence in policymaking at country, regional and global levels, alongside other technical assistance.

This official relation status also enables us to join and make statements at key WHO meetings as a non-voting participant. This includes the World Health Assembly (WHA), WHO’s decision-making body, which is attended by representatives of all Member States, and is a key forum to advocate for evidence-informed health policies and resolutions.

Cochrane was represented at this year’s Executive Board meeting by Governing Board member, Emma Persad; CEO, Catherine Spencer; and Advocacy and Partnerships Officer, Mariam Salman.

The session began with an opening statement by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. He highlighted the key achievements of the past 12 months and welcomed the adoption of the Fourteenth General Programme Of Work (GPW14), which Cochrane were invited to consult on through our NSA in official relations status.

He mentioned that maternal health is the theme for World Health Day this year and that although we have made progress on maternal and child mortality, we still have a long way to go to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Director-General also applauded Science Division, stating that its normative and standard-setting function is helping ensure that Member States are given the highest quality, evidence-based advice as fast as possible.

As part of the discussions, Cochrane submitted a statement to the Executive Board for consideration. Our statement supported the adoption of a draft resolution on strengthening national capacities in evidence-based decision making, as well as advocating for the production of high-quality evidence.  The full statement can be read below:

“Honorable Chair, Esteemed Delegates,

For over 30 years, the Cochrane Collaboration has been at the forefront of improving global health and life expectancy. We produce high-quality and trusted synthesized evidence to inform health decision making.

In a dramatically changing world with overlapping global health challenges, this is more vital now than ever.

We therefore urge Member States to adopt the Resolution titled “Strengthening national capacities in evidence-based decision making for the uptake and impact of norms and standards”

We also acknowledge that in order to ensure the production of high-quality evidence, the relevant WHO departments need core, recurrent funding for this essential function to continue its impact on a country-level.

We are pleased to see the alignment between WHO’s priorities and the Cochrane Collaboration’s Scientific Strategy, and express our sincerest gratitude and support in our ongoing engagement.”

• For more information on the work that Cochrane does with WHO and this year’s Executive Board meeting, please email msalman@cochrane.org.
• Find out more about the 156th session of the Executive Board.

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Honouring Cochrane's Volunteer Translators: Bridging Language Gaps in 2024

Cochrane proudly celebrates the incredible efforts of our volunteer translators in 2024. Their dedication has been instrumental in breaking language barriers and making high-quality health information accessible to communities worldwide.

This year, more than 730 volunteers actively contributed to our translation programme, with 48.6% coming from lower- or middle-income countries. Some language teams work with a larger number of volunteers than others, showcasing the diverse nature of our global multi-language programme.

In 2024 alone, our translation teams have published over 6,056 new or updated plain language summaries—and, for some languages, abstracts as well—bringing the total number of review summary translations to an impressive 54,272. This extraordinary collective effort ensures that Cochrane's trusted, evidence-based health information reaches those who need it most, regardless of the language they speak.

Beyond the numbers, the dedication of our volunteers is truly inspiring. Many of them balance their translation work with professional and personal commitments, yet they remain steadfast in their mission to improve global health literacy. 

Inès Belalem, volunteer in the French translation team, shared:

Pagakrong Lumbiganon from the Thai translation team reflected:

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone involved in Cochrane’s translation projects for their unwavering commitment. Your contributions are invaluable, and together, we are making a meaningful impact on global health.

Thank you for being an essential part of Cochrane’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality health information to all.

About Cochrane's Multi-Language Programme

Cochrane translates evidence-based health information into multiple languages to improve accessibility and reduce linguistic barriers to global evidence-informed health decisions. We regularly translate content into languages including Croatian, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Thai, and Traditional Chinese.

Only around 6% of the world’s population are native English speakers, and 75% of people do not speak English at all. Many individuals lack access to high-quality health information simply because it is not available in a language they understand. By translating Cochrane evidence, we aim to bridge this gap and ensure that everyone, regardless of language, can make informed health decisions.

•  If you are interested in joining our community of volunteer translators and contributing to this vital work, please click here for more information on how to get involved.

 

Monday, February 3, 2025

Thursday, January 30, 2025

New Cochrane Library feature will help Information Specialists and systematic review authors produce trustworthy evidence.

Cochrane has launched a new feature in CENTRAL, our database of reports of clinical trials, to identify and flag publications that have been retracted by the publisher.

Cochrane's policy for managing potentially problematic studies states that studies with associated retractions should not be included in Cochrane reviews. This has previously been harder to achieve than it should be due to inconsistent ways of tagging published retractions that affects their accessibility and discoverability. But recent developments to standardise retractions and open the curated Retraction Watch database are helping address this.

To help Information Specialists and systematic review authors produce timely and trustworthy evidence that does not include problematic studies, we have been working hard to identify when a report of a randomized controlled trial is retracted; and to consistently label these as retracted publications in CENTRAL, with publication type label Retracted publication:pt. You can read our FAQ page on retracted publications to find out more about what sources we are using to identify these, and our plans to use additional sources in the future to identify more.

New for January 2025

This month we launch the first feature that helps users of CENTRAL (Cochrane’s database of trials) on the Cochrane Library better identify retracted publications in CENTRAL. When a user of Search Manager conducts a search, and views results in the Trials tab, if their search results contain records to papers retracted by the publisher a banner will appear, alerting them:

This will mean that when conducting a search for a review, it will be easier to identify known retracted publications. Why do we say ‘known’ retracted publications? In practice, “Although a journal may retract a publication, the communication of that retraction is often incomplete, both in the use of vague retraction notices with euphemistic language and the inconsistent and ineffective annotation of retracted publications.” (Bakker 2024). 

Plans for 2025

This work doesn’t end here, we need to do more to ensure that studies with associated retractions are not included in Cochrane reviews. There are additional challenges because, 'identifying retracted publications is important but logistically challenging; publications may be retracted while a review is in preparation or in press and problems with a publication may also be discovered after the evidence synthesis is published' (Bakker 2024).

We are currently linking those studies we have identified with retracted publications to published and in progress Cochrane reviews. Developments will also include automatic ways to inform the authors of these Cochrane reviews about the retractions, in order to proactively address this challenge; and to ensure that Cochrane remains the home of trustworthy evidence.

Hints and tips

CENTRAL is a unique source for identifying reports of randomized controlled trials retracted by publishers. Want to make the most of this valuable data source, and the new feature on the Cochrane Library? There is further information available on the Cochrane Library, and in this short video below which offers practical tips for users of CENTRAL via Search Manager on the Cochrane Library.

References

Bakker C, Boughton S, Faggion CM, Fanelli D, Kaiser K, Schneider J. Reducing the residue of retractions in evidence synthesis: ways to minimise inappropriate citation and use of retracted data. BMJ Evidence Based Medicine 2024;29:121-126. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjebm-2022-111921]

 

 

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Cochrane peer reviewers can now feature their peer review activity on their Web of Science profiles thanks to a new collaboration between Cochrane and Clarivate. 

Clarivate operates the Web of Science platform, a database that tracks citations, authorship and contributions in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service allows peer reviewers to track, verify and showcase their work and expertise through the platform.  

“We are extremely grateful to all our peer reviewers, Associate Editors, and Senior Editors who again and again volunteer their expertise and time to actively support Cochrane,” says Colleen Ovelman, Head of Editorial at Cochrane. “As a small token of gratitude, we have ensured that their hard work is now automatically recognized on their Web of Science reviewer profile.” 

All peer reviewers contributing to Cochrane reviews from 15 January 2025 onwards have the option to showcase their contributions on Web of Science. Unfortunately we are not able to recognise historical contributions in this way.  

What do peer reviewers need to do?  

If you already have a Web of Science profile, you do not need to create a new one to benefit from this service. If you do not yet have a Web of Science profile, you can sign up now for free.  

To ensure your contributions appear on your Web of Science profile: when you next provide feedback on a Cochrane review using an online peer review form in Editorial Manager, please answer 'Yes' to the question "Would you like to receive recognition for this contribution on Web of Science?". A record of your contribution will then be sent automatically from Editorial Manager to your Web of Science profile. The contribution should appear on your profile within 48 hours.  

Don’t forget: your contributions as a peer reviewer also go towards earning you Cochrane Membership. You can track your contributions as a peer reviewer in your Cochrane Account. 

You can get involved in peer review via Cochrane Engage by searching for tasks tagged as methodological, clinical or consumer depending on your role. 

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

A new Cochrane review confirms that antidepressants effectively reduce symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) under trial conditions, although there is limited data on long-term usage.

GAD affects millions of people worldwide and is characterized by excessive worry about everyday issues. Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), are recognized treatments for GAD, recommended by many national bodies including the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. However, misconceptions remain among some healthcare professionals and patients who do not realise that ‘antidepressants’ have wider uses beyond depression, while the term also carries stigma for many people.

The review analyzed 37 randomized controlled trials with over 12,000 participants, comparing antidepressants to a placebo.  Most trials were primarily conducted in high-income countries, including the United States of America and various European countries, and recruited adults of both sexes. In most cases, there were slightly more female participants (~60%) which reflects the clinical prevalence of GAD.

Results showed that antidepressants were more effective than placebo in reducing anxiety symptoms, with a 41% higher response rate among those taking the medication compared to those taking a placebo. The review found no significant difference in dropout rates between those taking antidepressants and those taking a placebo, indicating that these medications are generally well-tolerated.

“We don’t have enough evidence to say how effective they may be in patients with GAD alongside other mental health conditions, which is much more common in clinical practice. Most of the patients I see with GAD also have other mental health conditions, so future trials should investigate the effects of different treatment strategies on patients with multiple conditions."

The review also highlights the lack of data on the long-term effects of antidepressants. Most included trials lasted between 4 to 12 weeks, with no long-term follow-up.

"We don’t have enough information on the potential long-term benefits and harms of antidepressants, even though people often take them for years,” says first author Katarina Kopcalic, who conducted the review at Western University. “This is an area that needs further exploration in future trials.” 

Despite these limitations, the review delivers a clear message: antidepressants are effective for managing GAD, particularly for patients who do not respond well to non-pharmacological treatments. However, more independent, long-term research is needed to understand their full impact, especially in patients with multiple conditions.

• Read the Cochrane review and the plain language summary
• Read the news item in Spanish
• Read the new item in Malay

 

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Title:  Administrative Assistant
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £27,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Publishing and Technology Directorate
Closing date: 4 February, 2025

Cochrane is an international charity. For 30 years we have responded to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesising research findings and our work has been recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

This varied role provides effective and efficient administrative support to the Central Executive Team, with particular support to the Publishing & Technology Directorate. It will also interface with the broader Cochrane Community.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Our organization is built on four core values: Collaboration: Underpins everting we do, locally and globally. Relevant: The right evidence at the right time in the right format. Integrity: Independent and transparent. Quality: Reviewing and improving what we do, maintaining rigour and trust. 

You can expect: 

• An opportunity to truly impact health globally
• A flexible work environment
• A comprehensive onboarding experience
• An environment where people feel welcome, heard, and included, regardless of their differences

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here
• The deadline to receive your application is 4 February, 2025
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 Category: Jobs

Title: Data Scientist
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: circa £55,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Publishing and Technology Directorate
Closing date: 11 February, 2025

As Cochrane’s Data Scientist, you will work with our technology, product and publishing teams to leverage data in supporting the work of Cochrane in advocating for evidence-informed health decision-making worldwide. 

You will be involved in researching, analysing, presenting results, and recommending intelligent solutions to solve problems and address organisational challenges by applying knowledge of data analysis, critical-thinking skills, and healthcare experience/expertise.  You will assist in assessing how data science (including Large Language Models and Artificial Intelligence) can help evolve evidence-based medicine, at the global leader for evidence synthesis.

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Our organization is built on four core values: Collaboration: Underpins everting we do, locally and globally. Relevant: The right evidence at the right time in the right format. Integrity: Independent and transparent. Quality: Reviewing and improving what we do, maintaining rigour and trust. 

You can expect: 

• An opportunity to truly impact health globally
• A flexible work environment
• A comprehensive onboarding experience
• An environment where people feel welcome, heard, and included, regardless of their differences

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here
• The deadline to receive your application is 11 February, 2025
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement

 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 Category: Jobs

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

A new Cochrane review has found that calorie labelling of food on menus and products leads people to choose slightly fewer calories.

The research team, led by scientists from UCL, Bath Spa University, the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, examined evidence from 25 studies on the impact of calorie labelling on food selection and consumption. They found that calorie labels in supermarkets, restaurants and other food outlets led to a small reduction in the calories people selected and purchased. The average reduction was 1.8%, which would equate to 11 calories in a 600 calorie meal – or around two almonds.

Small daily changes in energy consumption can have meaningful effects if sustained long-term, and most adults tend to gain weight as we age. A UK government report estimated that 90% of 20-40 year olds in England will gain up to 9kg over ten years, and that reducing daily energy intake by 24 calories per day – roughly 1% of the recommended intake for adults – would prevent this increase.

Our review suggests that calorie labelling leads to a modest reduction in the calories people purchase and consume.

This may have some impact on health at the population level, but calorie labelling is certainly no silver bullet. Our previous version of this review from 2018 reported a potentially larger effect, but was inconclusive because there was significant uncertainty over the results. This update has reduced that uncertainty, and we can now say with confidence that there is very likely a real, albeit modest, effect.

- Dr Gareth Hollands, senior author, from the UCL Social Research Institute, also Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge.

The new update compiles evidence from 25 studies with a strong emphasis on real-world field settings, with 16 of the studies being conducted in restaurants, cafeterias, and supermarkets. The studies that were analysed encompassed over 10,000 participants from high-income countries including Canada, France, the United Kingdom and the USA. Only two of the studies included alcoholic drinks, and their results were too uncertain to draw any meaningful conclusions.

This review strengthens the evidence that calorie labelling can lead to small but consistent reductions in calorie selection.

While the overall impact on individual meals or food purchases may be modest, the evidence is robust. The cumulative effect at a population level could make a meaningful contribution to public health, especially as calorie labelling becomes more widespread.

- Dr Natasha Clarke, lead author, from Bath Spa University, who began the project at the University of Cambridge. 

While calorie labelling shows promise, concerns remain about its possible impact on people at risk of disordered eating. The review noted a lack of data in the included studies on possible harms, including mental health impacts, and the authors recommend future research to assess this.

“Calorie labelling to reduce the calories that people consume remains somewhat contentious, both in terms of whether it has any effect, and whether potential benefits outweigh potential risks or harms,” says Gareth. “We can now say with considerable confidence that it does have a small but potentially meaningful effect on people’s food choices. Labelling may therefore have a useful role, ideally alongside a broader set of approaches that place more onus on industry rather than individuals, such as taxes, marketing restrictions and reformulation. However, we should not expect miracles, and any implementation of calorie labelling must balance the many potential positive and negative impacts of such policies.”

• Read the Cochrane review and the plain language summary
• Read the news item in Spanish

Clarke N, Pechey E, Shemilt I, Pilling M, Roberts NW, Marteau TM, Jebb SA, Hollands GJ. Calorie (energy) labelling for changing selection and consumption of food or alcohol. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews TBD, Issue TBD. Art. No.: CD014845. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD014845.pub2.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Cochrane’s Future of Evidence Synthesis Programme has brought about some transformational changes

The arrival of 2025 means that we are now wrapping up our Future of Evidence Synthesis Programme, with several projects now closed and a few more due to wrap up by April 2025.

All aspects of the programme were designed to ensure that Cochrane is well-placed to meet rapidly shifting needs and challenges in global healthcare. It has been an ambitious programme that has introduced some important changes to how Cochrane develops, publishes, and shares its reviews.

A New Model for Synthesising Evidence

At the heart of this transformation is Cochrane’s new model for producing Cochrane evidence syntheses. The model retains many of the strengths that Cochrane’s reputation has been built on and added some new elements that will help to ensure Cochrane is sustainable and focused on major global health challenges now and into the future.

Evidence Synthesis Units and Thematic Groups

A key structural change has been the creation of Cochrane Evidence Synthesis Units and Thematic Groups, to help us address the world’s urgent health challenges more efficiently and collaboratively.

Cochrane Thematic Groups are topic-based collectives with specialist knowledge and expertise. They help identify priority areas, engage with key stakeholders, harness Cochrane’s global volunteer network and support the production and dissemination of high-quality Cochrane evidence syntheses. We have set up twelve Thematic Groups, each led by experts in their respective fields. Find out more.

Cochrane Evidence Synthesis Units are collaborative, multi-topic research groups, created to support delivery of trusted, timely Cochrane evidence to address major global health challenges. The geographic spread of the five new units reflects Cochrane’s commitment to producing evidence that helps to improve people’s health worldwide. Find out more.

Centralised Editorial Service

Cochrane’s Central Editorial Service has been scaled up to ensure an independent, and rigorous quality assurance process across all manuscripts and a more consistent experience for author teams. The Editorial Service works with Cochrane group members who contribute their expertise throughout the peer review process. Importantly, the centralisation eliminates conflicts of interest, with clear separation between manuscript development and editorial decisions. This ensures Cochrane reviews remain impartial, credible, and scientifically robust.

Simplifying the author journey

Cochrane’s authors are critical to Cochrane success – past and future – so through the Future of Evidence Synthesis programme we have introduced tools to make their experience smoother. The adoption of the Focused Review Format prioritises simplicity and clarity in review writing. This format reduces complexity for authors, speeds up review development time, and ensures Cochrane reviews communicate a clear message.

A major upgrade to RevMan, Cochrane’s authoring platform, has also taken place. The introduction of ‘study centric data’ streamlines data management, enabling authors to easily enter, reuse, and export data, reducing errors and saving time. Gone are the days of cumbersome back-and-forth data handling; authors can now focus on crafting compelling, well-supported reviews that inform global health decisions. Cochrane has expanded its resources for authors with dedicated roles, such as Evidence Synthesis Development Editors, to guide authors of high-priority review from planning to submission and offer expert advice on everything from scoping reviews to evaluating evidence quality. This hands-on assistance ensures Cochrane’s highest-priority reviews meet the highest standards while maintaining a personal touch.

Updated reporting standards and improved accessibility

A shift to the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews signals another step forward. Cochrane reviews now align with international standards, making them easier to produce and more user-friendly for their global audience. This transition reduces administrative burden while enhancing the clarity and accessibility of Cochrane’s output.

Additionally, systematic reviews produced in RevMan now come with downloadable data packages in formats like CSV, broadening the potential for research collaboration and reducing duplication. These changes solidify Cochrane’s commitment to Open Science, making its data transparent and accessible for the wider research community.

Global impact and inclusivity

With a renewed focus on inclusivity Cochrane seeks to ensure that its evidence reaches and benefits people everywhere. Evidence Synthesis Units in regions such as Nigeria and India reflect a deeper commitment to continue ensuring that our geographic representation in evidence synthesis is widespread and equal. Collaborations with global organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and local stakeholders in lower- and middle-income countries guarantee that Cochrane’s work addresses health inequities and meets diverse regional needs.

Inclusivity extends into the review process itself. With improved tools and simplified reporting standards, researchers from underrepresented regions and early-career scientists face fewer procedural barriers, increasing opportunities for collaboration and contribution to prioritise reviews that tackle globally significant issues.

Toward a brighter future for health evidence

The changes implemented as part of the Future of Evidence Synthesis Programme are not just about improving internal efficiencies, they are about creating a lasting impact. By adapting to a fast-changing scientific landscape, Cochrane can continue to contribute meaningfully to global health challenges now and in the future.

At a time of significant uncertainty, the Cochrane community has played an important role in the transformation. Together, community members have shown great resilience, ensuring these improvements address the real-world needs of practitioners, policymakers, and patients. These advancements not only secure Cochrane’s future but reaffirm its role as a bedrock of reliable health evidence in an uncertain world. For everyone who relies on trusted, accessible, and impactful health evidence, the changes brought by the Future of Evidence Synthesis programme are already making a difference. Cochrane is now better equipped than ever to deliver on its mission of improving health decisions - and people’s lives - worldwide.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Title: Deputy Head of Communications
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £55,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark.
Directorate: Development Directorate
Closing date: 24 January, 2025

Cochrane is an international charity. For 30 years we have responded to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesising research findings and our work has been recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information. The Deputy Head of Communications is an exciting new role that reflects the strategic importance of digital communications to this internationally renowned organization. It represents a rare opportunity to shape strategy, transform the charity’s digital presence, and experience working at a senior level when deputising for the Head of Communications.

You will create and implement the organization’s digital strategy, managing a team of experienced and dedicated web and communications specialists. Together you will deliver high-quality, targeted digital channels and marketing that inspire engagement and support from a range of stakeholder audiences.

Initial priorities will be to:

a) build digital communications capacity by recruiting three new roles (Digital Marketing Manager, Digital Marketing Officer and Copywriter);
b) develop a digital marketing strategy, based on a recent audit of channels and performance; and
c) establish and embed processes to ensure the relaunched Cochrane website is dynamic, useful and accessible to Cochrane’s key audiences.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Our organization is built on four core values: Collaboration: Underpins everting we do, locally and globally. Relevant: The right evidence at the right time in the right format. Integrity: Independent and transparent. Quality: Reviewing and improving what we do, maintaining rigour and trust.

You can expect: 

• An opportunity to truly impact health globally.
• A flexible work environment.
• A comprehensive onboarding experiences.
• An environment where people feel welcome, heard, and included, regardless of their differences Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here.
• The deadline to receive your application is 24 January, 2025.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement.

Friday, January 10, 2025 Category: Jobs

Thursday, January 9, 2025