血管成形术或血管內支架置入对深部静脉栓塞患者的效用如何？ 关键信息 ⦁ 目前血管成形术或血管內支架置入对深部静脉栓塞(Deep vein thrombosis, DVT)患者的效用仍不清楚。 ⦁ 需要进一步的大型研究來确定，血管成形术或血管內支架置入对DVT患者是否是安全且有效的治疗。 什么是深部静脉栓塞(DVT)？ DVT是指血栓形成于深部静脉，通常位于腿部。它可能会导致患腿的疼痛、肿胀及发紅。DVT 也可能导致严重的并发症，例如血栓后症候群 (PTS)（DVT 后出现的慢性疾病）和肺栓塞 (PE)（当部分 DVT 血块脱落并进入肺部）。 DVT如何治疗呢？ DVT通常以血液稀释剂治疗，以防止血栓变大并阻止其脱落并进入肺部。DVT的其他治疗方法包括穿压力袜和手术（包含血管成形术和血管內支架植入）。血管成形术和血管內支架植入用于打通阻塞的血管并保持其畅通，这有助于改善血流并减轻症狀。 我们想要了解什么？ 我们想确定血管成形术或血管內支架植入对于DVT患者是否是一种安全且有效的治疗方法。 我们做了什么？ 我们评价了研究证据，探索血管成形术和血管內支架置入对DVT患者是否为安全且有效的治疗方法。我们比较和总结这些研究结果，并根据研究方法与规模评估证据的可信度。 我们发现了什么？ 我们找到两项研究共納入134名DVT患者。两项研究均在中国进行，持续了12至36个月。血管成形术或血管內支...

针对抑郁症的母乳喂养支持干预措施能否预防产后抑郁症的发展？ 关键信息 - 心理社会母乳喂养支持干预措施可能在获得支持后1至3个月内预防一些母亲产后抑郁症，并在获得支持后7至12个月内延长母乳喂养的持续时间。关于对其他心理健康和母乳喂养结局的影响的证据质量极低。 - 关于替代性母乳喂养干预措施（特别是正念）对产后抑郁症和其他心理健康及母乳喂养结局的影响的证据质量极低。 - 研究没有指出任何与干预直接相关的不良事件，但在大多数研究中，我们不知道是否已经测量过这个结局。 - 未来的母乳喂养干预研究应非常谨慎地进行，以降低偏倚风险，并且研究规模应足够大，以检测出母亲之间心理健康方面的差异。 什么是产后抑郁症？ 产后抑郁症是分娩后出现的一种心理健康状况，其特征是情绪低落或长时间对活动失去乐趣或兴趣。这种情况会对母亲、婴儿和整个家庭产生严重影响。 我们想知道什么？ 我们想了解针对抑郁症的母乳喂养支持干预是否比标准的产后护理更能预防产后抑郁症并减轻产后抑郁症的症状。我们还想了解母乳喂养支持干预是否有任何有害的副作用。 我们做了什么？ 2024 年 6 月，我们对随机对照临床试验（受试者被随机分配到干预组或对照组的研究）进行了文献综述，以了解母乳喂养支持干预是否可以预防产后抑郁症。我们的综述纳入10项研究，其中 9 项评估了接受心理社会支持（教育、心理帮助和社会支持的结合）的母亲，1 项评估了减...

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

患有子宫肌瘤的孕妇进行剖腹产子宫肌瘤手术有什么好处和风险？ 关键信息 关于剖宫产肌瘤切除术（一种切除子宫内非癌性生长物——子宫肌瘤的手术） 对输血需求、出血风险、住院时间、手术时长、重大手术风险及产后发热（产后几天内出现的高温）风险的影响，现有证据的不确定性非常高，因此无法得出任何有意义的结论。 作者们尚不明确剖腹产肌瘤切除术对血红素（红血球中的一种蛋白质，有助于输送氧气到全身）的变化或未来生育能力的影响。 什么是产后大出血（PPH）？ 产后出血指分娩后24小时内出血量≥500mL。它是全世界产妇死亡和疾病的主要原因。产后大出血每七分钟就导致一名产妇死亡。 我们想了解什么？ 子宫肌瘤（在子宫内或周围生长的非癌性肿瘤）影响越来越多的女性。在过去，由于过度或大量出血的风险，医生会避免在剖腹产（透过切开母亲腹部分娩婴儿的外科手术）期间切除子宫肌瘤（也称为肌瘤切除术）。在分娩时切除子宫肌瘤被认为会导致手术时间更长、住院天数更多。然而，切除子宫肌瘤对于女性保留未来的生育能力具有潜在的好处。对于已经进行剖腹产的女性来说，这可能提供了一个进行此项手术的独特机会。我们想要找出患有子宫肌瘤的孕妇在接受剖腹产时，进行子宫肌瘤切除术与不进行子宫肌瘤切除术的好处和伤害。 我们做了什么？ 我们检索了针对患有子宫肌瘤的孕妇进行剖腹产手术和单纯剖腹产手术的研究。我们比较并归纳这些研究结果，并根据研究的方法、规...

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

奖励可以帮助人们戒烟吗？是否长期有效？ 关键信息 • 吸烟在全世界范围内都是主要可预防的健康不良和早逝的原因。戒烟有助于帮助人们生活的更加健康和长久。 • 奖励可以帮助人们至少戒烟6个月。 • 这种效果可以持续到奖励停止，表明有长期效果。 • 奖励可以帮助孕妇戒烟。这种效果可以持续到孩子已经出生。 什么是奖励？ 奖励措施（如金钱、代金券或存款）可用来鼓励人们戒烟，并在他们持续不吸烟时给予奖励。这些戒烟方案可以在工作场所、诊所实施，有时也可以作为社区项目来实施。 我们想了解什么？ 我们希望了解给与人们奖励是否可以帮助人们长期戒烟。 我们做了什么？ 我们检索了提供奖励帮助成年人戒烟的研究。研究中的受试者必须被随机分配至接受奖励组或对照组（常规护理或其他戒烟干预）。我们纳入了来自不同人群的研究对象和孕妇。 我们发现了什么？ 我们找到了测试了不同的奖励方案来帮助吸烟者戒烟的48项研究。五项研究纳入来自精神健康诊所的人员、四项来自初级保健诊所的人员、两项来自头颈癌症治疗诊所的人员、三项来自学院或大学的人员、一项招募的退伍军人和两名居住在泰国村庄的人员。奖励形式有现金、优惠券或返还受试者所存入的钱。 怀孕研究： 我们单独分析了纳入孕妇的研究我们找到14项研究。11 项位于美国，2 项位于英国，1 项位于法国。奖励措施为优惠券，且有时会根据妇女坚持戒烟的时间而增加奖励。 一些研究没有提供足够的...

体育组织提供的项目是否能促进健康行为并改善人们的健康？ 关键信息 • 体育组织项目可能会让人们更加活跃。 • 体育组织计划可能对人们不活动（久坐）的时间影响不大或根本没有影响。它们可能会增加人们食用的水果和蔬菜的数量。 • 我们不知道体育组织项目是否会对人们摄入的含糖饮料和酒精饮料的数量或吸烟量产生影响，因为证据质量极低。 什么是健康行为？为什么它们很重要？ 慢性病是全世界死亡和疾病的主要原因。吃健康食品和积极锻炼等健康行为可以降低患慢性病的风险。体育组织在许多国家都很受欢迎，可能是促进健康行为或改善健康结果的有效方式。 我们想要了解什么？ 我们想知道体育组织开展的项目是否能够有效地促进健康行为并改善人们的健康。我们感兴趣的项目针对的可能是体育组织的运动员和非运动员成员、教练、支持者、中学生或大学生、运动员家长等等。 我们想要了解什么？ 我们检索了对随机分配到两个或多个组的人的健康相关结局进行比较的研究：健康行为促进项目组与未参与试验项目组（“对照组”）。符合条件的研究需要测试旨在促进健康行为（如体育锻炼或健康饮食）、减少不健康行为（如饮酒或吸烟）或改善体重、血压或人们的健康相关知识等结局的项目。 我们发现了什么? 我们检索到20项研究涉及共8179名受试者。大多数研究针对成年体育组织成员或支持者，并在足球俱乐部进行（例如足球、美式足球、澳大利亚足球联赛）。十四项研究评估了针对一...

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

不同免疫药物治疗胶质母细胞瘤（一种癌性脑瘤）的益处和风险是什么？ 关键信息 • 一种被称为免疫检查点抑制剂 (immune checkpoint inhibitors, ICIs) 的免疫疗法利用人体的免疫系统对抗疾病，这种疗法在一些癌症治疗方面已显示出令人鼓舞的效果。 • 七项研究探讨了ICI抗程序性细胞死亡1（anti-PD-1）治疗成人GBM。其中六项显示无益处。一项小型试验显示OS和PFS有所改善，但证据具有不确定性。 • 需要更多探讨不同ICIs组合的高质量研究。 什么是胶质瘤? 胶质瘤 (Glioblastoma, GBM) 是成人中最常见的癌性脑瘤。GBM患者可能表现出不同的症狀，包括头疼、行为和性格的改变、癫痫发作或其他类似中风的症状。这可以在较长或较短的时间內发生。总生存期（从确诊或开始治疗到死亡的时间长度）约为16个月。 手术尽可能多的切除肿瘤是主要的治疗手段，然后进行化疗和放疗；然而，这些疗法不是很有效，因此需要替代疗法。免疫疗法（包括免疫检查点抑制剂（(immune checkpoint inhibitors, ICIs）和免疫检查点阻断剂（immune checkpoint blockers, ICBs）作为一种新治疗方法在治疗某些癌症方面已显示出有前景的结果，具有良好的反应率，进而提高了生存率。ICIs可以制止不必要的炎症反应和对正常组织的损害，充当“...

虚拟现实干预是否比替代疗法或者无干预对多发性硬化患者效果更好？ 关键信息 虚拟现实可以改善平衡与姿势控制、上肢功能、参与度和生活质量，但整体证据质量有限。 研究结果基于少量低质量证据，应该谨慎解读。 什么是多发性硬化？ 多发性硬化是青年人群中最常见的神经系统疾病。多发性硬化患者会出现多种症状，例如疲乏、认知障碍和性功能障碍，此外还可能出现肌肉无力和协调问题。 虚拟现实技术如何帮助多发性硬化患者？ 虚拟现实作为一种新的康复工具已经被越来越多地用于神经系统患者的康复。虚拟现实干预使用计算机程序，允许用户在虚拟环境中导航并与之互动。虚拟现实技术在康复领域的应用具有多种优势，例如可以提供完全可控的个性化环境和情境，而这些环境和情境在现实生活中过于危险、昂贵或不可能实现。此外，训练的难度和强度可以根据患者的技能进行调整，虚拟现实技术还可以通过创造更令人兴奋的训练环境和提供反馈来提高患者的积极性。 我们想要了解什么？ 本综述旨在评估虚拟现实干预对多发性硬化症患者康复的有效性。我们希望了解使用虚拟现实技术进行训练是否会在下肢功能和步态、平衡和姿势控制、上肢功能、认知、疲劳、整体运动功能、活动受限、参与和生活质量以及不良（有害或不必要）事件的发生等方面带来更多改善。我们将虚拟现实训练与 1) 无干预、2) 传统疗法或替代疗法进行了比较。 我们做了什么？ 我们找到 33 项研究，共包含1294名多...