TOBY LASSERSON SENIOR EDITOR The Cochrane Library and new developments for users Cochrane Editorial Unit
The Cochrane Collaboration International organization supports production & maintenance of Cochrane systematic reviews Charity & government funding for infrastructure Activity supports global network of volunteer contributors Cochrane Editorial Unit
Society website Organizational structure News & events Policies Training Summaries & podcasts Library website Reviews Trials Editorials & collections Other databases
The Cochrane Library Suite of databases Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Register of controlled trials (CENTRAL) Register of methodological research Abstracts of effectiveness reviews (DARE) HTA database Economic Evaluations (NHS EED) Information about Cochrane entities
The Cochrane Library Cochrane Reviews evaluate Effects of healthcare interventions Diagnostic test accuracy & harms Methods used in clinical trials or systematic reviews Cochrane Editorial Unit
The Cochrane Library Cochrane Review attributes Independent Methodological rigour Transparent Current Relevant Full-text with structured abstract & plain language summary Updated to reflect new evidence Cochrane Editorial Unit
How best to develop The Cochrane Library? Finding information Searching/Browsing Support dissemination Summary versions Derivative products Improve full-text look & navigation, article tools
Full reviews & editorials now organized by theme Specialty (heart, lungs, wound care etc) Age (child health) Diagnostics & Methodology Predictive text search & synonym search under development
Clinical questions Answers to important healthcare questions need to be easy to locate Benefits & harms How much of a difference does an intervention make? How confident are we in findings?
Does pre-operative washing with chlorhexidine reduce surgical site infections?
Reviews clustered by relevance
What do results mean? Studies of good quality? Excessive variation between results? Precision of results? Study populations/settings of interest to review question? Publication bias?
Cochrane Editorial Unit
Future directions Cochrane PICO or Clinical Answers Clinical question answering service? Qualitative & prognostic reviews? Cochrane for mobile web?
‘I apologize that this letter is so long, I did not have the time to write a short one’ Blaise Pascal ( )