Specifications: Fixed Term – 1 Year
Salary: £35,000 per annum  
Location: Ideally based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. Candidates from the rest of the world will be considered; however, Cochrane’s Central Executive Team is only able to offer consultancy contracts outside these countries (1-year fixed-term contracts)
Directorate: Evidence Production & Methods
Closing date: 13 March, 2023
 
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.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters from more than 220 countries. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into five directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

The Future of Evidence Synthesis (FES) is a critical programme of work for Cochrane over the next 3-5 years. Successful delivery is essential for Cochrane's future and sustainability. A core component of the new production model is the creation of Cochrane Evidence Synthesis Units and Thematic Groups. This role will work closely with the Head of Change Management, to create, launch and manage the initial application process for Evidence Synthesis Units and a second application round for Thematic Groups and help to manage the initial stages of the pilots.

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 13th March, 2023.
• 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

Watch videos from the recent event held by Cochrane PaPaS

For 23 years the Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care (PaPaS) group has been delivering the gold standard in evidence synthesis in the field of pain management, palliative and supportive care and supporting the community towards better methods and standards in pain clinical trials and systematic reviews. As their funding comes to an end, they highlighted and celebrated their contribution with an event, called ‘Truth, Integrity and the Future of Pain Evidence’ at the Wellcome Collection in London, UK.  It was a chance to reflect on what has been discovered, where we continue to face important challenges, and how we might move toward a future of trusted evidence to guide better pain care globally.

Dr. Neil O’Connell, Cochrane PaPaS Editor explains the importance of the event; “Working in evidence synthesis we can achieve a “birds-eye” view of the evidence ecosystem in our field, including its problems. Pain in clinical practice and patient care is often poorly served by an evidence architecture containing multiple structural weaknesses. These issues span pre-clinical research, clinical trials, and systematic reviews, and impact upon developing clinical guidelines. Clinical practice in pain management frequently diverges from the evidence, or evolves in the absence of evidence, driven by individual and organisational vested interests, market forces, fashion, and demand from people with pain. In our event, we heard from a range of established and emerging leaders in the field to better understand the challenges and to consider how we create better solutions.”

Talks at the meeting highlighted a range of challenges to the quality and trustworthiness of pain evidence across the pipeline, from pre-clinical through to evidence synthesis, and focused on approaches to improving that picture through better methods, open science practices, interdisciplinary working and partnership with people with lived experience of pain. There was an exceptional range of speakers and leaders in terms of discipline, perspective, and career stage. The audience was also diverse, representing clinicians across many disciplines, researchers, people with pain, editors, and publishers. It was a great day, with comments from one attendee saying it was their most thought-provoking event of the year.

• Read about the events of the day on Twitter under #PaPaSPain2022
• Watch videos from the event

Cochrane is made up of 11,000 members and over 67,000 supporters come from more than 130 countries, worldwide. Our volunteers and contributors are researchers, health professionals, patients, carers, people passionate about improving health outcomes for everyone, everywhere.

Getting involved in Cochrane’s work means becoming part of a global community. The Cochrane International Mobility programme connects successful applicants with a placement in a host Cochrane Group, learning more about the production, use, and knowledge translation of Cochrane reviews. The prgramme offers opportunities for learning and training not only for participants but also for host staff.

In this series, we profile those that have participated in the Cochrane International Mobility Program and learn more about their experiences.

Name: Chiara Russo
Location: Italy
Cochrane International Mobility location: Cochrane Sweden

How did you first learn about Cochrane?
When I first heard about Cochrane it was a coincidence. I was studying at my University in Genoa (Italy) and I was looking for a place to go for my Erasmus Traineeship Program. As I was interested in pediatrics field, a medical doctor suggested me to contact Matteo Bruschettini and he offered me the opportunity to go to Sweden, where I worked with him at Cochrane Sweden.

What was your experience with your Cochrane International Mobility?
Actually, before going to Sweden, I’d never had any research experience. Matteo offered me the opportunity to approach systematic reviews, at first with Cochrane Interactive Learning modules, then I had the pleasure to actively work on systematic reviews.

What are you doing now in relation to your Cochrane International Mobility experience?
Once I completed my four-month placement at Cochrane Sweden, I continued to work with Matteo. Thanks to him, I’m co-author of a published Cochrane review, which has already been updated. Moreover, I completed, with Cochrane Sweden and other co-authors, another Cochrane review, which is in press, commissioned by the WHO (World Health Organization).  Even when I came back to Italy, Matteo is still supportive and available for any of my concerns.

Do you have any words of advice to anyone considering a Cochrane International Mobility experience?
I really suggest to anyone interested in research to connect to Cochrane. It will be a great experience both for a first approach to research and for the more experienced medical doctor. Not only will you probably have the opportunity to actively collaborate to a systematic review, but you will certainly learn how to read scientific text. It will also be an opportunity to meet people and other cultures from all over the world.

Meet our #CochraneLondon Social Media Ambassador volunteers who will be helping to share the content of the London Colloquium and their experience at the colloquium on social media. They will be sharing content across all your favourite social media platforms.

Cochrane UK is hosting Cochrane’s Colloquium taking place in London, UK from 4-6 September 2023. With the theme “Forward together for trusted evidence”, the 2023 Cochrane Colloquium is set to be a groundbreaking event with a mix of learning, networking, plenary speakers, events, and more! 

The #CochraneLondon Ambassadors are attending the colloquium and will be sharing the exciting experience before, during, and after the event. They will not act as spokespersons for Cochrane but will share their own take on the experience. The Ambassadors will use their social media platforms to provide insights into the Colloquium's discussions, key takeaways, their favourite keynotes, and provide some behind-the-scenes posts about what it's like to attend and who from the Community they meet. 

You can find Cochrane on X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Follow the #CochraneLondon platform on all your favourite platforms or give your favourite ambassadors a follow.

Claire Alllen
Social Media: X

Claire Allen worked with Cochrane from 1997-2014, during which time Evidence Aid was created (in 2004) with Cochrane colleagues. Evidence Aid aims to save lives and livelihoods in disasters by providing decision-makers with the best available evidence and by championing its use. In 2014 she moved over to being staff at Evidence Aid and has since managed the day-to-day operations of the independent charity.

Claire Allen has attended 18 Colloquiums in the past! She will be joining the Library of People on Wednesday’s lunch break where she will be an “open book”. She is looking forward to chatting with attendees about translating evidence to support disaster settings as well as catching up with Cochrane colleagues, attending plenaries, and workshops – and sharing insights along the way on social media.

Claire will be sharing takeaways from her Cochrane London experience on the main Evidence Aid X account. Follow Evidence Aid and experience the Colloquium alongside Claire and learn more about how evidence can support decision-makers! 

Dr. Nikita Burke
Social Media: X accounts for Evidence Synthesis Ireland, Cochrane Ireland, and Nikita's personal X account

Dr. Nikita Burke is the Programme Manager for Evidence Synthesis Ireland, which aims to build knowledge, awareness and capacity in evidence synthesis on the island of Ireland and beyond. She is also the Associate Director for Cochrane Ireland. 

Nikita has a curiosity and commitment to public involvement and engagement in health research, and knowledge translation and communication of evidence. She has worked with Cochrane Crowd to develop educational modules for the public on key steps in a systematic review and study designs.

This is Nikita’s first Cochrane Colloquium! She is looking forward to meeting colleagues and public partners, many in person for the first time! Follow her on  @EvidSynIrl, @CochraneIreland, or @nikitanburke for public involvement, co-production, capacity building and communication of evidence content.

Sarah Chapman
Social Media: X

Sarah Chapman is a Knowledge Broker at Cochrane UK and she is an editor a writer for the Evidently Cochrane Blog. She also has a personal blog, From Ear To Eternity, where she writes about her cochlear implant journey and about life with hearing loss. Her interests include best practices for sharing health evidence on social media and patient involvement in health research. 

This is Sarah's seventh Colloquium and the second time being part of the Local Organizing Committee. She is looking forward to welcoming everyone to London and dancing under the dinosaurs at the social night. 

Sarah will be sharing behind-the-scenes images of the Colloquium and all the extra bits beyond the main content events. Follow Sarah to also learn more about how Cochrane involves patients and advocates in their work. 

Claudio Cordani
Social Media: Instagram, X

Claudio Cordani is a Physiotherapist from Italy. He completed a Master of Science in 2019 and is now attending a Ph.D. in Clinical Research. Since 2021, he has been a member of Cochrane Rehabilitation, following special projects on evidence synthesis in the rehabilitation field. Claudio is passionate about neurological and musculoskeletal rehabilitation as well as clinical research.

This is Claudio's first Cochrane Colloquium and he is looking forward to meeting some research peers in the unique and historical background of London. He is excited about the opportunity to learn more about methodology, healthcare decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and evidence implementation. Claudio has contributed to the oral communication entitled “The concept of “evidence relevant to” in the rehabilitation field: post COVID-19 condition mapping for the World Health Organization Guidance”, which will be presented by Prof. Stefano Negrini on September 4th at “Mapping evidence” session. 

Claudio will be posting about his experience on his personal Instagram and his personal X account and will be tagging Cochrane Rehabilitation on Instagram and Cochrane Rehabilitation on X, so you can also follow the official account for his reposts. 

Megha Garg
Social Media: LinkedIn

Megha works as Systematic Review Scientist and is the editor-in-chief of a renowned journal along with being the editorial team member for many others. Her interests include best practices and methods behind evidence synthesis, with a focus on quality and bias assessment in published literature.

This is Megha's first Cochrane Colloquium! She is looking forward to engaging with healthcare decision-making experts to explore the challenges in healthcare data and working 'forward together for trusted evidence' while enjoying the stunning views across the London skyline to prominent historic landmarks.

Follow Megha on LinkedIn and go behind the scenes! She will be reporting live from the Colloquium to share some of the insights from each day and take you through the talks, workshops, and other activities and presentations.

Ella Flemyng
Social Media: X, LinkedIn

Ella is Cochrane's Interim Head of Editorial Policy and Research Integrity and is on the Editorial Board of Cochrane's new, open access journal, Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods. She is interested in research integrity, reliability, and the methods behind evidence synthesis.

She is looking forward to immersing herself in research integrity and methodology topics and networking with experts at the Colloquium. She is particularly excited about the 2023 Cochrane Methods Symposium.

Ella shares developments in evidence synthesis methodology, research integrity and publication ethics on social media. Follow Ella and learn from all the posters and presentations she will be attending and sharing.

Margarida Freitas
Social Media: personal Instagram and Cochrane Rehabilitation Instagram

Margarida Freitas is a Medical Doctor and Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine specialist from Portugal. She has been involved with clinical research and team managing and development since Medical School. Since 2020, she has been Cochrane Rehabilitation's Translation Manager, managing a team of translation partners who speak a total of 13 languages. Margarida is passionate about Rehabilitation, Dance Medicine, and clinical research and she is about to start her PhD journey. 

This is Margarida's first Cochrane Colloquium! She is looking forward to meeting some research peers in the vibrant, yet historical London city. She is thrilled to return to the UK, where she has spent some months in observational clinical rotations. She won't miss the opportunity of learning more about healthcare decision-making, statistics and methodology. Margarida will present an oral communication about the cooperative framework of Cochrane Rehabilitation's blogshot translation, so make sure you don't miss the "Building partnerships and implementing evidence" session.

She will be posting as much as she can on her personal Instagram account – @margarida_mota_freitas - and she will be tagging @cochrane.rehabilitation, so you can also follow the official account.

Dr Pradnya Kakodkar
Social Media: LinkedIn, YouTube 

Meet Dr Pradnya Kakodkar; an independent Education and Research Consultant from India. She is a dedicated Cochrane member and passionately conducts webinars to promote the findings of Cochrane systematic review in dental practice. These webinars aim to bridge the gap between research and clinicians, facilitating effective knowledge translation and benefiting the general public in dental practice.  

This is Pradnya’s first Colloquium! She is extremely excited to present her work in poster form and share her Colloquium experiences with you.

Stay connected with Pradnya on LinkedIn and YouTube as she will be sharing personal insights from the experience of presenting at the Colloquium and attending for the first time,  valuable perspectives from experts, and noteworthy takeaways from sessions she will be attending.

Katie Lamb
Social Media: Instagram, X, LinkedIn 

Katie is an artist and advocate for children and young people living with diabetes and has lived with type one diabetes for twenty years. Her interests include ensuring the voices of young people are heard in research, and using arts and creativity to share lived experiences. Katie is an Expert by Experience for the Diabetes UK Research Steering Group for children and young people and a diabetes advocate with the Dedoc Voices programme.

This is Katie’s first Cochrane Colloquium! She is looking forward to meeting researchers and consumer volunteers, and the opportunity to learn from experts. Katie is most excited about sessions focused on co-design and communicating evidence.

Follow Katie to see how healthcare consumers are involved in the event and the main takeaways from the sessions she attends. Katie uses Instagram to share event highlights through art and creative summaries. 

Toby Lasserson
Social Media: Twitter

Toby is the Deputy Editor in Chief of the Cochrane Library and Cochrane's Head of Methods & Evidence Synthesis. 

This is Toby's 18th Colloquium! He is especially excited to attend the Methods Symposium happening the day before and the Annual General Meeting.

Follow Toby as he shares witty and pun-filled tweets about Cochrane evidence, the methodology behind meta-analysis and systematic reviews, and live tweets with takeaways from plenary speakers at the Colloquium. 

Richard Morley
Social Media: X, LinkedIn 

Richard works for Cochrane as the Consumer Engagement Officer, supporting the engagement and involvement of healthcare consumers (patients, carers, and the public) in Cochrane's work.  

This is Richard's fourth Colloquium experience. He is part of Cochrane London's  Local Organizing Committee and is chair of the Consumer Stiped Committee. He is especially looking forward to meeting with some of the consumer volunteers in-person and the meetings before the Colloquium begins. 

Follow Richard to learn more about how the Colloquium is a Patients Included event and what things have been done behind the scenes to make the event accessible. 

Roses Parker
Social Media: X

Meet Roses Parker, Cochrane's Commissioning Editor who possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience. With a PhD in Nursing focusing on pain management in children with cancer, Roses has made significant contributions to Cochrane in various capacities. Her involvement spans a wide range of crucial tasks, from coordinating priority-setting work, using data to commission updates, and being an author on the updated 'Cochrane logo review'.

Roses eagerly anticipates attending her second Colloquium! She is particularly excited about the Methods Symposium preceding the main event, as it promises to delve into the latest advancements in equity in evidence synthesis. Roses will also be giving a presentation at the Colloquium about Cochrane's important role in improving health equity and how others can get involved. Roses aims to provide some real-time updates through her X account, capturing the essence of the workshops, plenaries, and other noteworthy events she will be attending.

Join Roses on an inspiring journey through her live tweets, as she takes you along to experience the immersive Colloquium first-hand and unveils invaluable insights from the captivating presentations she attends.

Muriah Umoquit
Social Media: X, Cochrane Instagram Stories

Muriah is Cochrane's Senior Communications Officer and runs the social media for Cochrane and Cochrane Library. 

This is Muriah's fourth Colloquium. She is looking forward to seeing everyone use the wonderful #BetterPoster templates and connecting with the community through Colloquium social events,  such as the book exchange, the Anne Anderson Walk, and the Gala night. 

Follow Muriah for tips and best practices for making the most of attending a conference on social media. She will also be sharing short interviews and behind-the-scenes videos on Cochrane's Instagram stories during the colloquium.  

 Dr. Elpida Vounzoulaki
Social Media: X

Elpida Vounzoulaki is a Postdoctoral Epidemiologist at the Leicester Real World Evidence Unit, Diabetes Research Centre, University of Leicester and Chair of the Cochrane Early Career Professionals (ECP) Steering Group. She is also the host of Cochrane ECP's first podcast, Conversations with Cochrane.

This is Elpida's first time attending a Cochrane event and she is really excited to meet Cochrane members and volunteers, as well as speakers attending the event!

Follow Elpida on X and learn about what is going on at ''Putting evidence into practice'' on Sunday 3 September and the exciting opportunities to get involved with Cochrane as an Early Career Professional!

Find out more about the Colloquium:

• View and update your schedule
• Visit the Colloquium website
• ‘Take a break activities

Cochrane China recently hosted a virtual event for the evidence-based medicine community that brought together many of its partners, local expertise, and international speakers. Here the team provides an overview of who was involved and what was covered at the event. 

The 3rd Beijing forum of evidence-based medicine and Cochrane China Network Symposium was successfully held virtually on January 15th, 2023. The host of this conference were Cochrane China Network and Beijing GRADE Center. The organizers are Centre for Evidence-based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, affiliate of the Cochrane China Network; Beijing GRADE Center; and Institute for Excellence in Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The co-organizers are affiliates of the Cochrane China Network, including Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Evidence-based Medicine Centre, Fudan University; Centre for Evidence-based and Translational Medicine, Wuhan University; Cochrane China Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University; Centre for Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Research, Peking University; School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University; Institute of Health Data Science, Lanzhou University; Evidence-based Medicine Centre, University of Nottingham Ningbo.

Professor Liu Jianping, director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and senior research fellow Fei Yutong at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine served as the chairmen of the conference. Meanwhile, the conference invited Professor Gordon Guyatt, McMaster University, Canada, senior management of the Cochrane China Network headquarters, a total of 5 internationally renowned scholars from the United Kingdom, the United States, Hong Kong and other countries and regions, as well as speakers from 9 member units of the Cochrane China Network. In total, 25 scholars gave academic reports.

The conference conducted in-depth exchange and discussions of cutting-edge evidence-based medicine topics, which was divided into four modules: interpretation of the Cochrane review publishing policy, translational evidence, research frontiers in systematic reviews and evidence synthesis, and research methods in clinical practice.

 To start,  Liu Jianping, the chairman of the conference, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and Chen Yingyao, Qian Huitang and Jin Yinghui, the rotating chairmen of the Cochrane China Network executive committee, delivered opening speeches, respectively.

Liu Jianping briefly introduced the origin and development of the Cochrane China Network, and hoped that everyone could communicate and exchange with each other on the progress and achievement in methodologies, as well as the opportunities and challenges faced through this conference.

Chen Yingyao, on behalf of the Cochrane China Network executive committee, warmly welcomed the presence of all experts and listeners attending the conference, and expressed heartfelt thanks to the hosts and organizers of the conference, as nine member units from eight regions could carry out academic exchanges through this cloud platform.

Qian Huitang stated that the conference invited experts and scholars from home and abroad to make academic reports, which provided a platform for communication and exchange among member units, and wished the conference a complete success. Jin Yinghui said that Cochrane China Network has been trying to participate in the production, dissemination and translation of evidence since the establishment of it two years ago, and hoped to attract more researchers and clinical workers to improve patients' health concepts based on the best evidence through the academic conference held biennially.

 On the morning of January 15th, the module of the conference was interpretation of the Cochrane review publishing policy. Catherine Spencer, the Cochrane’s chief executive officer, Gordon Guyatt, the founder of evidence-based medicine, McMaster University, Tiffany Duque, the central executive team of Cochrane, Liu Jianping, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and Liu Qin, Chongqing Medical University, were invited to explain the content Changes and New Strategies of Cochrane, GRADE for Network Meta-analysis, Communicating Science & Evidence during Health Emergencies, Cochrane Review of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Current Status and Challenges, and Interpretation of the Cochrane Review Publishing Policy in simple terms. The conference was hosted by Fei Yutong.

 On the morning of January 15th, with the module of “translational evidence–1”, Susan Wieland, director of Cochrane Complementary Medicine Department, Jin Yinghui, Wuhan University, Chen Yaolong, Lanzhou University, and Xia Jun with GRADE Center of university of Nottingham Ningbo were invited to separately report on Cochrane Complementary Medicine: The Global Benefit of Chinese Collaboration, Implementation Evaluation of Clinical Practice Guidelines, Scientificity, Transparency, Applicability and Rankings (STAR) Tool for Clinical Practice Guidelines, and Use of Cochrane's Reviews to Inform WHO Guidelines, which were focused on as a hot issue and frontier of research related to guidelines. The conference was hosted by Li Xun.

 On the afternoon of January 15th, the conference’s module was “translational evidence–2”. It invited Richard Hubbard, University of Nottingham Ningbo, Hao Yufang, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Tian Jinhui, Centre for Evidence-based Medicine of Lanzhou University, Li Xun, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and Wang Yongbo, Center for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, to reported on Using Routinely Collected Data for Clinical Research, Development and Adaptation of Nursing Guidelines for Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, Progress and Challenges of the Research Methods on the Synthesis and Translational Evidence in Evidence Ecosystem, Enhancing Medical Students' Awareness of Evidence-based Medicine and Their Ability to Transform Knowledge Through Cochrane Evidence, Development of Clinical Practice Guideline Knowledge Graph, surrounding the key issues of interest in the process of developing and evaluating evidence-based medicine evidence. The conference was hosted by Wang Ping.

 In the module of “research frontiers in systematic reviews and evidence synthesis”, Zhan Siyan, Peking University, Nie Xiaolu, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Wu Shanshan, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Yang Zhirong, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mou Huanyu and Li Caixia, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Huang Qiao, Wuhan University, were invited to introduce Progress in Evidence Synthesis, Umbrella Reviews: Strengths and Limitations, Evidence Synthesis of Predictive Models: A Case Study of Liver Cancer Risk Prediction, A New Method for Evidence Synthesis to Determine the Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines, Effectiveness of Dyadic Psychoeducational Intervention for Stroke Survivors and Family Caregivers on Functional and Psychosocial Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, Effects of Nurse-led Interventions on Early Detection of Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, and Development and Promotion of An Online Helper for Systematic Reviews of Evidence-based Medicine. The conference was co-hosted by Han Mei, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and Sun Feng, Peking University.

 In the “research methods in clinical practice” module, Chen Shiyao, Fudan University, Shi Qiuling, Chongqing Medical University, Peng Xiaoxia, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Tan Jing and Yu Jiajie, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, were invited to introduce Taking Clinical Practice to the Forefront of Research, Statistical Significance VS Clinical Significance: An Introduction to Minimum Clinically Meaningful Changes in Patient-reported Outcomes, Establishment of Reference Intervals and Clinical Decision Limits, The Development and Application of A RWD-based Method for Assessing the Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Pregnant Women, and Application of IDEAL in Surgical Clinical Researches. The conference was hosted by Xing Jingli.

This forum is another grand conference of the Cochrane China network two years after the founding conference of the Cochrane China Network. It is a high-level international conference in the field of Chinese evidence-based medicine. It is expected that Cochrane China Network will have better development in the work and research of Cochrane with the deeper and further academic collision and exchange.

A warm thank you and congratulations to everyone involved!

• Learn more about Cochrane China
• Get involved with Cochrane
• Learn more about events happening at Cochrane

Writen by Wang Ping and Li Xun. Reviewed by Fei Yutong, Liu Jianping, Li Feng, and Li Chenhui.

Overall lack of evidence raises questions about the benefits

People with chronic back pain may turn to spinal cord stimulation to ease their pain, but a University of Sydney led Cochrane Review found no sustained benefits to the surgery that outweigh the costs and risks.  

Spinal cord stimulation, a medical technology suggested to treat people with chronic back pain, does not provide long-term relief and may cause harm, according to a Cochrane Review released today.

Spinal cord stimulation is thought to work by planting a device that sends electrical pulses to the spinal cord to interrupt nerve signals before they reach the brain.

The study reviewed published clinical data on spinal cord stimulation. This included randomised controlled trials, considered to be the most robust method to measure the effectiveness of a treatment in medical research.

The researchers analysed the results of 13 clinical trials, looking at data from 699 participants, comparing spinal cord stimulation treatment with placebo or no treatment for low back pain.

Cochrane reviews are trusted by researchers, medical professionals and policymakers because they use robust methodologies to combine evidence from multiple sources, reducing the impact of bias and random error that can make individual studies less reliable.

The review concluded that spinal cord stimulation is no better than a placebo for treating low back pain, with probably little to no benefits for people with low back pain or improving their quality of life.

There was little to no clinical data regarding the long-term effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation, including the risk of side effects and complications.

The researchers also found that adverse side effects to the surgery were poorly documented overall, preventing them from concluding the level of risk involved. Harms from spinal cord stimulation could include nerve damage, infection, and the electrical leads moving, all of which may need repeated surgeries.

The review findings have been submitted to the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care prosthesis list review taskforce. The taskforce is reviewing the eligibility of current prostheses subsidised by Medicare.

In Australia, the devices' long-term safety and performance are also being re-accessed by The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the country’s regulatory authority for therapeutic goods.

“Spinal cord stimulation is invasive and has a great financial cost to people who choose surgery as a last resort to alleviate their pain. Our review found that the long-term benefits and harms are essentially unknown,” said lead researcher Dr Adrian Traeger from Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, an initiative of the University of Sydney, Sydney Local Health District and Northern Sydney Local Health District.

“Our review of the clinical data suggests no sustained benefits to the surgery outweigh the costs and risks.

“Low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Our findings further emphasise the urgent need to review funding arrangements for chronic pain care to help patients in their search for relief. There are evidence-based physical and psychological therapies for back pain; ensuring access to these is essential.”

The review team found multiple gaps in clinical data.

There were no studies that investigated the long-term (more than 12 months) impact of spinal cord stimulation on low back pain. The longest was a single six-month trial.

The majority of clinical trials only looked at the immediate impact of the device, which is a time frame of less than a month.

The review team provided a list of recommendations, which include future spinal cord stimulation clinical trials to be at least 12 months, clearly document the number of people who experience adverse events and comparison with other pain treatment options.

Professor Chris Maher, Co-Director of Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, said,

“Our review found that the clinical benefit of adding spinal cord stimulation to treat low back pain remains unknown. When coupled with the reality that these devices are very expensive and often breakdown there is clearly a problem here that should be of concern to regulators.”

A separate Cochrane review, in which the researchers were not involved, examined the effect of spinal cord stimulation versus placebo in people with chronic pain. Similar to this review, it concluded there was a lack of evidence to suggest long-term benefits in treating chronic pain.

• Read the full review in the Cochrane Library 
• Read the University of Sydney Press Release 

Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: 28,000 per annum  
Location: UK – Remote/Flexible
Directorate: Finance and Corporate Services Directorate  
Closing date: 26 Feb 2023
 
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.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters from more than 220 countries. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into five directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

Your role will play an important part in ensuring that day-to-day finance is run smoothly. You will be someone who can learn new systems and processes quickly, is numerate and accurate in their work and has good attention to detail. This role sits within the Finance and Corporate Services Directorate. You will be one of four employees that make up the finance team. You will report to the Financial Accountant.

This is a work from home position, but you will have to attend meetings in London occasionally

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 26th  Feb 2023.
• 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

In recognition of 2023 International Women's Day (IWD), Cochrane hosted a virtual event. The event featured a panel of accomplished women from diverse backgrounds discussing the IWD 2023 theme of #EmbraceEquity.

The panelists will shared their experiences and insights on topics such as gender equity in clinical trials, the impact of gender on health outcomes, and strategies for promoting equity in healthcare and in evidence synthesis. 

Tiffany Duque, Cochrane US Senior Officer and Panelist says, "The 2023 IWD event was run by our talented Cochrane US Mentees. This is the second cohort through the Cochrane Mentoree program. They come from 12 different countries and range from students to early career professionals; all with a shining future in Cochrane."

"We were excited to bring together this group of dynamic women to discuss issues of equity in healthcare," says Paola Andrencci, Cochrane US Mentor Program coordinator and lead on this event. "Their diverse perspectives and experiences will help us identify the barriers to equity and work towards solutions that benefit all patients. We thank everyone from the Cochrane community and beyond that joined us for this event!"

We welcome everyone to watch a recording of the event: 

Several other videos were recorded for IWD and shared on social media:

Rehab Emad Ashmawy (Cochrane US mentee, Egypt) interviews Senator Professor Randa Mostafa. Many thanks to Mohmed Gamal for his efforts and time in capturing and editing this video.

Dr. Manar Ahmed Kamal introduces herself and answers a few questions.
Many thanks to Yasmine Ayman, Rahma Sameh, and Rawan Osama for their time and effort in filming this video.

Dr Sara Nasser (Chief Executive Officer, Pan Arabian Society of Gynecologic Oncology Research) shares her work and speaks about the importance of courage.

Related resources:

• VIDEO: 2022 International Women's Day Panel on gender bias in health science and evidence synthesis
• VIDEO: 2021 International Women's Day Panel on diversity in health evidence synthesis
• Celebrating Anne Anderson and Cochrane diversity with new designs: an interview with artist Heather Tubwon
• Cochrane Indonesia’s Director reflects on her continued contributions to maternal and perinatal health and the work of Cochrane

The recently updated GOLD report includes evidence from 7 Cochrane Airways systematic reviews, helping to align it with the latest and best available evidence.  

Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) is usually caused by smoking or other airway irritants. COPD damages the lungs and causes airways to narrow which makes it difficult to breathe.

The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) works with healthcare professionals and public health officials worldwide to raise awareness of COPD and improve the prevention and treatment of this lung disease. The GOLD strategy document for diagnosing, managing, and preventing COPD and the corresponding pocket guide is developed for healthcare professionals based on the best scientific information available. This global evidence-based document is used as a tool to implement effective management programs based on local healthcare systems around the world.

"The GOLD Report is the most widely accepted and followed COPD guideline," explains Emma Jackson, Managing Editor of Cochrane Airways. "We were pleased to see that 7 Cochrane Airways systematic reviews were added to the GOLD Report 2023 recommendations for the first time; over 35 Cochrane Reviews are already referenced in the GOLD Report."

"Cochrane is a not-for-profit organization with collaborators from more than 190 countries working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest,” says Rebecca Fortescue, Co-ordinating Editor for Cochrane Airways Editor. “Cochrane Reviews are known as the ‘gold standard’ when it comes to health evidence synthesis. We are delighted to see that 7 Cochrane Airway reviews were added in the 2023 GOLD Report to help align clinical practice with the latest and best available evidence.”

The seven reviews included in the 2023 Report for the first time are:

• Dual combination therapy versus long‐acting bronchodilators alone for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of COVID-19
• Interventions to improve adherence to pharmacological therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Integrated disease management interventions for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Chronic non-invasive ventilation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Self-management interventions for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Mucolytics for bronchiectasis

Lead author of the review on dual combination inhaler therapy, Yuji Oba says, “COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide. Inhaler therapy is the mainstay treatment of COPD and the choice of inhalers is of paramount importance for patients and healthcare providers. The 2018 Cochrane review addressed which inhaler was the most efficacious and safe in the advanced form of COPD. We are proud to see the GOLD Report was updated and modified the first choice of inhaler treatment based on our Cochrane review. We are currently updating this Cochrane review and are looking forward to having our work contribute to future GOLD Reports." 

• See a list of all Cochrane reviews on COPD

Title: Internal Communications Manager
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £52,508
Location: Ideally based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. Candidates from the rest of the world will be considered; however, Cochrane’s Central Executive Team is only able to offer consultancy contracts outside these countries (1-year fixed-term contracts)
Directorate: Development
Closing date: 20 Feb 2023
Interview date: 9 March 2023

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.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters from more than 220 countries. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into five directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

This is an exciting opportunity to build a new function from the ground up, as Cochrane’s first dedicated internal communications role. The first priority for this role will be to establish effective internal communications structures and processes for Cochrane’s~100 core staff, who are distributed across multiple countries and time zones. This includes developing an intranet and regular staff communications.

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 everything 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 20 Feb 2023.
• If you are invited for interview, this will take place on 9 March 2023 via Teams.
• 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

Title: Future of Evidence Synthesis Administrative Support Officer
Specifications: Fixed Term – 2 Years
Location: UK – Remote/Flexible
Salary: £27,071
Directorate: Evidence Production & Methods
Closing date: 20 Feb 2023

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.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters from more than 220 countries. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into five directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

The Future of Evidence Synthesis (FES) is a critical programme of work for Cochrane over the next 3-5 years. Successful delivery is essential is Cochrane to achieve the Strategy for Change objectives and become a sustainable organisation. This role provides effective and efficient administrative support for the FES programme generally and supports the pilot phase of the Thematic Group pilot specifically.

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 everything 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 20 Feb 2023.
• 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

Registration is now open for the 2023 Cochrane Colloquium. Register before the 01 June 2023 to get the reduced early bird rate

You can now register for the Cochrane Colloquium, which will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) Centre in London from 4th to 6th September 2023, with Satellite events on 3rd September.

The Colloquium is an annual event for everyone with an interest in the use of evidence in healthcare decision making including those engaged in evidence production, co-production, dissemination, implementation and policy making, as well as those making individual healthcare decisions.

This year’s theme is ‘Forward together for trusted evidence’. It will explore the challenges for the future around the trustworthiness of healthcare data and information whilst also celebrating 30 years of producing trusted evidence. 

Students, healthcare consumers, and people from low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income economies (LMIC) are eligible for a reduced rate.

As well as now being able to register, you can submit an abstract or submit a workshop for the event.

We look forward to welcoming you to London!

• Register here
• Registration fees – reduced early bird rate ends on 01 June 2023
• Registration guidelines and policies

• Colloquium website 
• #CochraneLondon
• Press contact: Katie Abbotts, Cochrane UK
• Sign up for newsletter updates

Taking vitamin D supplements does not reduce the risk of asthma attacks in children or adults, according to an updated Cochrane review.

These findings are in contrast to a previous Cochrane review that indicated a reduction in asthma attacks in people taking vitamin D. However, the review found no harm in taking vitamin D and it did not examine other possible health benefits.

The review was carried out by researchers from Queen Mary University of London and the University of Edinburgh. Researcher Adrian Martineau, Clinical Professor of Respiratory Infection and Immunity at Queen Mary University of London, said: “Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of severe asthma attacks and our previous Cochrane review, published in 2016, found that vitamin D reduced the risk of asthma attacks. However, more studies have been published since then and when we included the extra data in our updated review, the overall results changed. We found that vitamin D supplements had no effect on risk of asthma attacks or on control of asthma symptoms compared with a placebo.”

Professor Martineau and his colleagues analysed the results of 20 randomised controlled trials – the gold-standard for medical research – including data on 1,155 children and 1,070 adults with asthma. This compares to nine trials involving a total of 1,093 people whose data contributed to the previous review. The majority of patients in the trials had mild to moderate asthma.

When they compared patients who were assigned to take a vitamin D supplement with patients who were assigned to take a placebo (dummy medication), the researchers found no statistically significant difference in the number of people who experienced an asthma attack requiring treatment with a course of steroid tablets.

The review did not find any effect of taking vitamin D on asthma control even when people were vitamin D-deficient when they joined the studies, or with different doses of the supplement, or in people of different ages.

Professor Martineau said: “In contrast to our previous Cochrane review on this topic, this updated review does not find that vitamin D offers protection against asthma attacks or improves control of asthma symptoms. However, the trials we looked at did not include many people with severe asthma or people with very low levels of vitamin D in their blood, so these are areas where more research is still needed."

Anne Williamson, the first author on the study who is also from Queen Mary University of London, commented: “We can’t be certain why this updated review has given a different result to our original study from 2016. It could be that people with asthma may be getting better treatment than previously. Or it could be that, in general, rates of vitamin D deficiency have decreased over time, due to increasing intake of supplements or fortified foods. Either of these factors could obscure potential benefits from taking vitamin D supplements. Regardless of the reason, these most recent findings are likely to be correct for people living with asthma today.

This also highlights why it’s vital to update reviews when more research is published.”

Today’s review includes data from 20 clinical trials, compared with nine in the 2016 review, and children with asthma are better represented than previously. The review team say they have also applied stricter criteria on which studies would be included, compared to some other reviews. For example, they excluded studies that did not compare vitamin D with a placebo and those that did not monitor patients for at least 12 weeks.

Most of the trials included in the review involved patients taking cholecalciferol, which is the typical form of vitamin D supplement. One trial that used calcidiol, which is a compound that the body can make from vitamin D, reported an improvement in asthma control in patients taking this supplement. The reviewers say further research is needed to confirm whether this form of vitamin D has benefits for people with asthma.

• Read the full review on the Cochrane Library 
• Read the Evidently Cochrane blog 'Vitamin D for asthma: new evidence, new message'

Williamson A, Martineau AR, Sheikh A, Jolliffe D, Griffiths CJ. Vitamin D for the management of asthma. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD011511. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011511.pub3.

Measures to eliminate hazards around the home, such as reducing clutter, adding railings to stairs and improving poor lighting, can reduce the risk of falls for older people by around a quarter, according to a Cochrane review recently published.

The review did not find any compelling evidence for other measures to reduce falls, such as making sure older people have the correct prescription glasses, special footwear, or education on avoiding falls.

It also found that decluttering and reducing hazards had the most benefit for older people who are at risk of falls, for example because they have recently had a fall and been hospitalised or need support with daily activities such as dressing or using stairs.

Nearly one third of people aged 65 years and older fall each year. Most falls occur in the home.

Lindy Clemson, Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney, Australia was lead author of the review. She said: “Falls are very common among older people. They can cause serious injury or even death, but they are preventable. In this review we wanted to examine which measures could have the biggest impact on reducing falls among older people living at home.”

Professor Clemson and her colleagues analysed the results of 22 studies including data on 8,463 older people living in the community.

They found that taking measures to reduce fall hazards around the home lowers the overall rate of falls by 26%. This typically includes an assessment of fall hazards in and around the home and recommendations for lowering the risk, for instance by removing clutter and adding handrails and non-slip strips to steps. These measures have the biggest effect (38% fewer falls) for people who are at a higher risk of falls. Based on their analyses, the reviewers found that if 1,000 people who had previously had a fall followed these measures for about a year, the total number of falls would come down from 1,847 to 1,145.

Professor Clemson said: “Having had a fall or starting to need help with everyday activities are markers of underlying risk factors, such as being unsteady on your feet, having poor judgement or weak muscles. These risk factors make negotiating the environment more challenging and increase the risk of a trip or slip in some situations.

The research shows that, for those at risk of falls, being aware of fall hazards in and around the home, removing hazards and adapting with safe behaviours can significantly reduce the risk of falling. It appears that interventions to reduce fall hazards around the home need certain elements of assessment and support to work, not just a short check list of things to tick off. So, while everyone can take more care about their home environment and should do exercise for balance and lower limb strength, professional support from an occupational therapist is an important intervention for many people living at home."

“We encourage all people, as they age, to reduce fall hazards. These are often simple things like removing or changing slippery floor mats, improving lighting on stairs or de-cluttering the home. It seems this is not always ‘common sense’. People tend not to notice clutter around their home or realise that climbing ladders the way they always have is potentially a fall risk, particularly if their mobility or balance is not as it used to be.”

While the review showed fewer falls with hazard reduction, there was not enough data from the studies to determine if there were fewer admissions to hospital due to a fall. The authors found limited evidence for the other approaches to prevent falls that they examined – assistive technologies and education. They also found there was a lack of research on the impact on fall reduction of providing equipment or modifications to help older people carry out daily activities, such as showering or as cooking a meal.

Professor Clemson added: “Preventing falls is a really important way of helping people to remain healthy and independent as they grow older, and our review also highlights the need for more research in this area.”

• Clemson L, Stark S, Pighills AC, Fairhall NJ, Lamb SE, Ali J, Sherrington C. Environmental interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD013258. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013258.pub2
• Read the Cochrane Library Editorial 'Preventing falls in older people: the evidence for environmental interventions and why history matters.' 
• Read the Evidently Cochrane blog 'Preventing falls in older people: new evidence on what helps.'