A newly-published Cochrane review reveals significant gaps in the clinical rating scales used to assess pain in newborn babies, highlighting the urgent need for improved tools and global collaboration.

Despite the critical importance of accurately measuring pain in newborns, the review found that none of the available scales are backed by the high-quality evidence and methodological safeguards required to confirm their validity and reliability in clinical practice.

Neonatal pain assessment and management presents a challenge for clinical staff worldwide. Over 40 rating scales have been developed and adapted worldwide assessing different parameters and various types of pain.

Six to nine percent of all newborns require admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to either illness of prematurity. These infants endure multiple painful procedures daily, which can lead to long-term negative effects. Due to this, valid tools to support the assessment of pain are of great importance.

Infant pain scales lack robust evidence

The Cochrane review analysed 79 studies involving over 7,000 infants across 26 countries, evaluating 27 different clinical rating scales. All rating scales were found to be supported by very low-quality evidence, indicating major limitations in their effectiveness and clinical applicability.

“Over 70% of rating scales in this review did not assess content and structural validity, and both these factors are essential when selecting a measurement instrument,” says Kenneth Färnqvist, physiotherapist and PhD candidate at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. “Without a strong foundation in these areas, other necessary measures, such as reliability, cannot be accurately evaluated. Future studies must prioritise rigorous validation to improve neonatal pain assessment.” 

Measuring pain in newborns is particularly complex compared to adults. Such limitations may lead to an over- or under-estimation of pain, resulting in unnecessary sedation or inadequately treated pain, potentially jeopardising infant safety through treatment side-effects, including withdrawal symptoms or prolonged discomfort. Premature infants further complicate matters, as they often have a reduced ability to display robust pain behaviour due to their immaturity. The same is also true for ill or sedated infants.

“It is important to remember that clinical rating scales are only surrogates for pain measurement,” says Roger F. Soll, Professor of Neonatology at the University of Vermont. “Given the uncertainty highlighted in this review, clinical staff should avoid relying too heavily on the rating scales currently in practice and instead strive to decrease painful procedures as much as possible in this vulnerable population.” 

Global collaboration needed to improve infant pain assessment

Despite the disappointing results, this review presents an opportunity for progress in neonatal pain assessment, particularly through global collaboration and innovation.

Emma Persad, doctor and PhD candidate at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at the Karolinska Institutet, sees this as an opportunity for global collaboration and a call to action. 

“This is our chance to unite medical professionals and methodologists in developing a rigorously validated scale from scratch, one that meets all necessary checks before implementation in research and practice,” Emma says. “We look forward to beginning this impactful work and the implications it will have on assessing and managing neonatal pain worldwide.” 

Are you interested in getting involved or staying updated on the progress?

As per the findings of this 2025 review, Clinical rating scales for assessing pain in newborn infants, we would like to proactively respond to these findings by convening medical professionals and methodologists worldwide to work together to develop a more rigorous and evidence-based pain scale. 

If you're interested in getting involved, or staying up-to-date on the progress being made, please fill out the following form. For more information, contact Mia Parkinson.

• Read the Cochrane review and the plain language summary

 

Friday, April 11, 2025

Role: Business Analyst
Location: Remote working (resident in the UK, Germany or Denmark). 
Specifications: 6 months Fixed term contract.
Hours: Full-time week (flexible working considered) – 37.5 hours.
Salary: £42,000 per annum.
Application Closing Date: Wednesday 23rd April 2025 (Midnight GMT).

As a Business Analyst, you will gather, validate, and document business requirements using workshops, user research, use cases, and task and workflow analysis. You will ensure requirements are sufficiently detailed, reviewed, signed off, and kept up-to-date and are fully traceable. You will create and manage functional specifications, and contribute to identifying and validating appropriate solutions to support business objectives.

You will act as a key liaison between relevant stakeholders and departments, and product and software development teams to ensure feature implementation goals are met. 

You will be proactive, approachable, and curious. You will demonstrate an aptitude for user-centric, data-informed problem solving. As well as being a skillful communicator, you will be able to engage with technical and non-technical stakeholders across all levels. You will be driven to provide value and deliver demonstrable impact.

Cochrane is a global, independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, responding to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesizing research findings to produce the best available evidence on what can work, what might harm and where more research is needed. Our work is recognized as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information. 

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here.
• The deadline to receive your application is 23 April, 2025.  We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.
• Interviews will be held on w/c 28 April 2025.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement
• Read our Candidate pack for more information on the hiring process and staff benefits

 

Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Category: Jobs

Cochrane will no longer use the term ‘consumer’ to represent patients and the public, which we previously defined as ‘healthcare consumers’.  We have adopted the term ‘patient and public involvement’ to describe research being carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public, rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them. 

Represented groups include patients and potential patients, carers, people who use health and social care services, and people or organizations that represent these groups. 

Patient and public involvement helps to make our research ethical, relevant, and impactful. Insights from members of the public can shape meaningful research questions and produce useful findings. People living with a health condition are often in a better position to identify unanswered questions and determine what research would most likely improve their quality of life. 

Involving patients and members of the public also improves transparency, informed consent, ensures respectful and practical participation, and enhances communication by presenting information in accessible and useful formats. Ultimately, it helps research to better serve the needs of patients and the public. 

“Involving patients and members of the public has long been an important part of Cochrane’s work,” says Karla Soares-Weiser, Acting Chief Executive of Cochrane. “It ensures that our reviews are not only scientifically rigorous, but also meaningful and relevant to the people they aim to serve. We hope that this name change makes clear that anyone can contribute to Cochrane, and we welcome diverse experiences from patients and members of the public across the world.”  

Anyone who would like to get involved in Cochrane’s work can volunteer through our website or join the Patient and Public Network to receive monthly updates and opportunities to get involved. 

Jack Nunn, Co-Chair of the Cochrane Patient and Public Network Executive, said: 

"Cochrane started as a collaboration for everyone over 30 years ago. Language evolves, and choosing the right words is essential. Cochrane's change to using 'patient and public involvement' reflects a global shift and shows they have listened to the many voices from around the world who felt 'consumer' was no longer the right word. By saying 'patient and public involvement', more people are likely to understand the important and essential concepts behind those words — and the actions to which they point, which is involving everyone in shaping the future of evidence."

Cochrane acknowledges that many different terminologies are used across global health. We are committed to revisiting these terminologies regularly and collaboratively updating them as they evolve, ensuring that concepts not only translate across languages but also align with local contexts. 

Using language that better reflects the values of the people who support and use Cochrane evidence has the potential to improve inclusivity, foster a sense of belonging, build relationships, and strengthen trust with diverse communities including underrepresented groups.  

Our Patient and Public Involvement Manager, April English, will be updating Cochrane materials to reflect the new language over the coming months. 

• Join the Patient and Public Network here

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Monday 7 April marks World Health Day, a day organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight a particular global health issue. This year, it aims to kick off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health.

Maternal, newborn, and child health is a major global health priority, and yet in many parts of the world there are still far too many preventable deaths among mothers and young children. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that close to 300,000 women die during and following childbirth each year. Around 95% of those deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, in one of the starkest demonstrations of global health inequities. Postpartum haemorrhage alone accounts for over a quarter of maternal deaths each year, a number that emphasises the urgent need for evidence-based interventions.

Maternal, newborn, and child health: one of the four pillars

At Cochrane, our vision is a healthier world for everyone where health and care decisions are informed by high-quality evidence.

Cochrane has a long and proud history of advancing maternal, newborn, and child health. Much of our early work focused on evaluating evidence-based strategies to prevent illness and death among expectant mothers and babies, shaping international guidelines on labour induction and postnatal care. We have also contributed to landmark reviews, including one on the benefits of steroid injections for women at risk of preterm birth, research that even inspired the Cochrane logo.

With maternal, child and newborn health being one of the strategic pillars in our scientific strategy, we remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of mothers and children worldwide and tackling the vast health equity gap between different populations. We will assess strategies aimed at preventing illnesses and deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth, enhance prevention and treatment for diseases in babies and children, and help improve sexual health and fertility services.

What are we doing?

Cochrane has a strong track record in maternal, newborn, and child health, with over 220 reviews informing WHO recommendations in this area.

Last year we collaborated with the WHO on a suite of 14 rapid reviews to improve the prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage. This work is part of WHO’s four-point plan to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030 (SDG 3.1). By fast-tracking evidence synthesis, Cochrane’s reviews will inform updated WHO guidelines, influencing maternal healthcare policies worldwide.

Beyond postpartum haemorrhage, Cochrane is evaluating interventions for maternal infections, pre-eclampsia prevention through calcium supplementation, diabetes management during pregnancy, and clinical management of caesarean sections. These areas are critical for improving maternal health outcomes, particularly in low-resource settings.

“High-quality evidence is essential for improving maternal and newborn health worldwide. Through Cochrane’s scientific strategy, we address critical global health needs and pressing research questions,” explains Roses Parker, Commissioning Editor at Cochrane. “We collaborate with decision-makers to ensure they have access to the best available evidence for policy and practice. Currently, we are focusing on a suite of reviews on diagnosing and managing gestational diabetes and partnering with Cochrane India to develop an evidence gap map to guide future work on neonatal mortality.” 

The need for evidence-based policy

The leading causes of maternal, neonatal, and child mortality are largely known, preventable, and treatable through strategic, population-based healthcare policies. Despite this, inequalities due to income, education, gender, race and/or ethnicity limit access to care, further marginalising these vulnerable populations. Recognising this disproportionate burden in LMICs, Cochrane is prioritising capacity building and evidence co-production in these regions.

Cochrane remains committed to working alongside the WHO, governments, and health systems to turn high-quality research into life-saving policies. Strengthening maternal, newborn, and child health systems through evidence-based interventions is critical to achieving global health goals and ensuring health for all.

• Read more about World Health Day 2025
• Find out more about our scientific strategy

 

Monday, April 7, 2025

手术前服用药物切除子宫内非癌性生长物（子宫肌瘤）有哪些益处和风险？ 关键信息 - 促性腺激素释放激素类似物 (Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, GnRHa) 是一种药物，可在手术治疗子宫肌瘤（子宫內的非癌性生长物）之前缩小子宫和肌瘤的大小，并增加血红蛋白（一种有助于红细胞中运输氧气的蛋白质）的水平。GnRHa 预处理也可以减少手术时间、输血需求以及手术期间或手术后可能发生的一些并发症。 - 手术前服用 GnRHa 的女性较容易出現潮热等不良副作用。 - 仍需要进一步研究。 什么是子宮肌瘤？ 子宮肌瘤是女性子宮內的平滑肌肿瘤（非癌性生长），会导致怀孕困难。它们会导致女性月经期间胃部疼痛和大量出血。子宮肌瘤可能使女性更容易流产。 如何治疗子宫肌瘤？ 子宫肌瘤通常通过手术治疗。有些药物，特別是促性腺激素释放激素类似物 (GnRHa)，可能会缩小子宫和肌瘤的大小，使手术更容易，也可能控制大量出血。但是，它们不能使用超过六个月，因为它们可能会导致骨质流失。其他药物，包括孕激素、多巴胺激动剂、选择性孕激素受体调节剂（selective progesterone receptor modulators, SPRMs）、雌激素受体拮抗剂和选择性雌激素受体调节剂（selective oestrogen receptor modulators, SE...

Title: Subscription Renewals Officer
Specifications: Permanent – Full time or Part Time (minimum 22.5 hours)
Salary: £35,000 per annum full time 
Location: (Remote) resident in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Development and External Relations Directorate
Closing date: 15 April, 2025

The Subscription Renewals Officer role will work closely with the Business Development Manager to grow the organisation’s commercial services income. As SRO, you will be responsible for supporting customer satisfaction and maximising customer lifetime value through successful contract renewals.

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

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

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

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here.
• The deadline to receive your application is 15 April, 2025.  We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.
• Interviews will be held on w/c 28 April 2025.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement.
• Read our Candidate pack for more information on the hiring process and staff benefits.

 

 

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 Category: Jobs

非药物和非手术治疗对于非特异性腰痛可能有哪些益处和伤害？ 关键信息 治疗急性腰痛（疼痛持续时间少于6周） • 与建议卧床相比，保持活跃的建议可能会减轻疼痛并改善功能。 治疗亚急性腰痛（疼痛持续 6 至 12 周） • 与常规治疗相比，多学科治疗可能会减轻疼痛。 • 与安慰剂（「伪」或「虚拟」治疗，旨在模仿实际治疗，但缺乏有效成分或预期的治疗效果）相比，脊椎矫正可能不会改善功能。 治疗慢性腰痛（疼痛持续时间超过 12 周） • 与安慰剂、无治疗/常规护理相比，针灸可能减轻疼痛并改善功能。 • 与安慰剂、无治疗/常规护理相比，运动疗法可能减轻疼痛并改善功能。 • 与伪牵引相比，牵引可能不会减轻疼痛。 • 与常规治疗相比，多学科治疗可能更能减轻疼痛并改善功能。 • 心理疗法可能会减轻疼痛，但与常规治疗相比对功能没有影响。 什么是腰痛，如何去治疗? 腰痛是一种常见的健康狀況，可能导致残疾和生活质量降低。对于大多数腰痛病例，疼痛原因不明，被描述为「非特异性」腰痛。对于不同持续时间的腰痛患者，有多种非药物和非手术治疗方法：急性（疼痛持续时间小于 6 周）、亚急性 （疼痛持续时间为 6 至 12 周）和慢性（疼痛持续时间超过 12 周）。有必要向医疗专业人员以及患者提供有关非药物和非手术治疗的好处或益处和安全性的易于获取的高质量信息，以便更好地治疗腰痛。 我们想要了解什么？ 我们想要总结 Co...

GAD-7 和 GAD-2 问卷对于检测焦虑症的准确度有多高？ 关键信息 • 单独使用 GAD-7 和 GAD-2 问卷不能用于诊断或排除焦虑症。 • 然而，它们可以提示是否有焦虑症。 • 个人问卷调查结果「阴性」或「阳性」的解释取决于具体情況。 什么是焦虑症？ 「焦虑症」是一个总称，指的是心理健康狀況，包括（但不限于）： • 广泛性焦虑症：当某人在六个月内的大部分时间里感到过度焦虑，难以控制担忧，并且出现六种症状的至少三种：烦躁不安、疲劳、注意力不集中、易怒、肌肉紧张和睡眠障碍； • 社交恐惧症：非常害怕在社交或表演场合受到评判、尴尬或羞辱； • 恐慌症：反复经历意想不到的强烈恐惧或不适，可能伴随各种身体和情绪症状。 为什么早期诊断焦虑症很重要？ 焦虑症很常见，而且经常未被发现，即使对于需要治疗的人也是如此。当焦虑症出现时未能识别（假阴性) 意味着您错过了及时接受药物治疗、心理治疗或两者结合治疗的机会。因此，一些专家和患者倡议组织提倡进行筛检；即对一个社会群体或人口进行系統性检查，以确定是否存在焦虑症，即使是那些沒有因为相应症状寻求帮助的人。其他专家反对筛检，因为沒有证据提示这种筛检的益处大于弊端（例如误诊和不必要开药的副作用）。 GAD-7 和 GAD-2 问卷是什么？ GAD-7（广泛性焦虑症 7 題量表）和 GAD-2（GAD-7 量表的前两项）是专为外行人设计的使用者友...

How accurate are Truenat assays for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance?

On World TB Day, we highlight findings from a new review assessing the accuracy of Truenat assays for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and rifampicin resistance in adults and adolescents.

TB remains a global health threat, with 10.8 million cases and 1.25 million deaths in 2023, according to the World Health Organization. The number of people with tuberculosis keeps increasing. Both false-positive results and false-negative results have a severe impact on individuals tested. It is crucial that there is early and accurate diagnosis to prevent the spread of TB and ensure timely treatment. 

This review included six studies with over 4000 participants, comparing Truenat assays to the WHO-recommended Xpert Ultra test. While Truenat MTB Plus showed promise, further research is needed to refine diagnostic tools, particularly for drug-resistant TB.

Key findings:

• Truenat MTB Plus was more accurate than Truenat MTB for detecting TB. However, Truenat MTB misidentified many people as having TB when they did not, raising concerns. 
•  Xpert Ultra was found to be more accurate than Truenat MTB.
• Evidence on Truenat’s accuracy for detecting rifampicin resistance was limited.

Read the full review here: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD015543.pub2/full

Thursday, March 20, 2025

先天性心脏病患者手术时的输血管理 关键信息 我们找到19项研究，比较先天性心脏病儿童心脏手术中不同红细胞输注策略。但证据质量不足以得出可靠结论。需更多研究。 先天性心脏病是什么？ 先天性心脏病是指人天生就有的心脏发育问题。这意味着心脏发育不完全或不正常。每1,000名活产婴儿中，就有4至9名患有此病。在大多数情况下，孩子需要手术才能够健康的生活和成长。成人也常常需要进行手术来处理先天性心脏病。 为什么在心脏手术中管理输血很重要？ 病患通常需要在心脏手术前、手术中或手术后进行红细胞输注。大多数病患会在使用体外循环（cardiopulmonary bypass, CPB）机器的情况下进行手术，这台机器在手术过程中充当他们的心脏和肺部功能。现在，接受心脏手术的病患存活率比过去高，我们的目标是使手术更加安全。有一些研究表示，红细胞输注可能会使病人变得更虚弱。如果是这样，避免不必要的输血会是更好的选择。 我们想了解什么？ 我们希望了解红细胞输注的管理如何影响心脏手术后病人的治疗结局。红细胞输注是否会影响病人的短期和长期存活率、严重副作用（例如中风、肾衰竭、感染、血栓、出血），以及病人在加护病房和医院住院的时间？ 我们做了什么？ 我们检索了医学资料库找寻相关的研究。我们找寻最可靠的研究类型，即随机对照试验（“随机试验”）。我们比较并总结了各项试验的结果，并根据其研究方法、参与人数等因素，评估...

不同的营养支持是否影响成人胰十二指肠切除术后的恢复与并发症？ 关键信息 - 肠道营养可能不会增加并发症风险，但与肠外营养相比，可能减少住院天数。 - 与空肠造口灌食相比，经口营养的并发症或住院天数可能没有明显差异，但证据不确定。 - 这些不同类型的营养方式如何影响胰十二指肠切除术后的患者，需要更多证据来增加可信度。 什么是胰十二指肠切除术？ 胰十二指肠切除术，也称为 Whipple 手术，是一种切除胰腺头的手术。通常用于癌症治疗，也可以用于良性肿瘤和慢性胰腺炎，目的是移除所有癌组织以帮助患者延长生命。 胰十二指肠切除术后营养支持有哪些？ 手术后，患者需要营养支持来帮助他们恢复，可以利用三种方式进行： - 经口进食：通常从液体开始，逐渐添加固体食物。 - 肠道灌食 (胃灌食或空肠灌食)：利用导管将营养直接输送到胃或小肠。 - 静脉营养：经由中心或周边静脉输送营养成份，可采取全静脉营养 (完全非肠道营养) 或部分静脉营养。 我们想了解什么？ 我们想知道不同的营养支持方式是否影响成人胰十二指肠切除术后的恢复与并发症。 我们做了什么？ 我们评价多个医学资料库中的研究，时间截至 2022 年 10 月止，纳入了比较不同营养支持方式和不同提供时间，并将重点放在医院进行的研究。我们分析了 17 项研究共包含 1897 名患者 ，其中 8 项研究适合进行详细的统计分析 (meta分析)。 我们发...

Catherine Spencer OBE, who served as the Cochrane Collaboration’s Chief Executive Officer since 2022, has decided to step down from the role.

Catherine has led Cochrane through transformational change, developing a new strategy for a more evidence-informed world and ensuring the organization is well-placed to deliver it. She has helped to cement Cochrane’s reputation as a world-leading source of trustworthy evidence and expand the charity’s reach and impact around the world.

“I have been so fortunate to work with incredibly talented and loyal colleagues, Board Members and community members,” said Catherine. “All have worked hard to ensure that Cochrane has a great future and is a wonderful environment in which to work and grow. I wish all the team well as they focus on the continued success of Cochrane.”

The Governing Board has appointed Dr Karla Soares-Weiser as Acting CEO while they prepare to recruit the next CEO. Cochrane’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Toby Lasserson, will serve as Acting Editor-in-Chief.

Dr Susan Phillips, Chair of Cochrane’s Governing Board, said:

“The Governing Board would like to thank Catherine for her valued contribution to Cochrane and Cochrane community. In her time as CEO, she has ensured that the organization has a warm and collaborative culture that fosters innovation and trust.

“We wish to acknowledge the important contribution Catherine has made towards stabilizing Cochrane’s operations, developing the 2024-2027 Organizational Strategy, supporting Cochrane’s transition to a centralized editorial service and implementing the Roadmap to Open Access.

“Consequently, Cochrane is in a strong position, and we anticipate building on these achievements. Our priorities will be to strengthen Cochrane’s evidence synthesis model, including our use of AI tools, and to develop business models and methods which make us more responsive to funders’ needs.”

Preparations to recruit the next CEO will be led by Cochrane’s Governing Board.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

Key Achievements and Initiatives

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

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

Cochrane’s Framework for Public Involvement

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

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

How to Get Involved?

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

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

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

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

 

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to apply

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

 

Friday, March 7, 2025 Category: Jobs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to apply

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

 

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Category: Jobs

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

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

As a Methods Group, we aim to: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Methods Group Convenors: 

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

Want to find out more? 

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

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

 

 

Friday, February 28, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

How to apply 

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

Friday, February 28, 2025 Category: Jobs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to apply

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

Monday, February 24, 2025 Category: Jobs

针刺治疗子宫内药物暴露后新生儿戒断综合征 关键信息 •由于缺乏证据，我们无法就针灸对子宫内接触药物引起的新生儿戒断综合征婴儿的益处和风险得出任何结论。 •需要精心设计和报告的大型研究来了解更多关于针灸的益处和风险，包括对针灸技术、部位、时间和应用进行比较的研究。 什么是新生儿戒断综合征？ 新生儿戒断综合征是一种药物戒断综合征，大多发生在胎儿在子宫内接触阿片类药物（如海洛因和美沙酮）后。新生儿可能出生时就对药物产生身体依赖，导致出生后出现戒断症状，​​例如尖叫、睡眠-觉醒周期紊乱和震颤。新生儿戒断综合征的诊断采用标准化戒断评估，例如芬尼根评分。 什么是新生儿戒断综合征？ 与未患 NAS 的新生儿相比，患有 NAS 的新生儿出生后需要接受治疗，并且住院时间更长。新生儿戒断综合征的治疗包括多种多模式治疗以缓解戒断症状，​​例如襁褓、同室喂养和母乳喂养。如果标准化评估超过某个阈值，则对新生儿进行口服阿片类药物治疗。然而，最佳的新生儿戒断综合征治疗仍存在争议。针灸已被提议作为一种潜在的干预。针灸涉及对身体特定穴位的刺激，可以通过插入细金属针（“侵入性”）或使用不穿透皮肤的技术（“非侵入性”），例如指压和激光。 我们想知道什么？ 我们的目标是确定针灸对患有新生儿戒断综合征的婴儿的益处和风险。主要结局是药物治疗持续时间（药物治疗）、不良事件（伤害）和住院时间。 我们做了什么？ 我们检索了比较针...