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: Ana Beatriz Pizarro
Location: Ana Beatriz Pizarro
Cochrane International Mobility location: Cochrane Sweden

How did you first learn about Cochrane?
I have been involved with Cochrane since 2016 because the first Cochrane Center in my country was at my university, and I was part of a research group with the director of Cochrane Colombia, that is where I learned everything about systematic reviews, research methodology and the Cochrane collaboration. Now, as a last-year nursing student, I'm the coordinator of the Colombian Cochrane Consumer Network, and I am also part of the coordinating committee of the Spanish version of the S4BE platform.

What was your experience with Cochrane International Mobility?
I work online from my home or eventually from the hospital. Sharing an international academic environment is the best way to broaden other ways of thinking, learning and doing stuff. I think it's great because it offers schedule flexibility, in every meeting I learn something new, the professors are always there for want I need and we also laugh a lot. We contacted in Cochrane's task marketplace; Task Exchange.

What are you doing now in relation to your Cochrane International Mobility experience?
I am currently in a kind of CIM with Matteo Buschettini and the team that also involves a professor from Texas, USA. We have been working on a systematic review of animal studies since January we are answering this research question: Does caffeine administration to neonatal pups affect neurodevelopment? I'm really excited because there's no convincing information about this and my goal is to keep working with EBM to help decision-makers choose the best available options of treatments or therapies for patients and their families to improve their quality of life. We meet weekly on zoom so we can check the updates of our team.

Do you have any words of advice to anyone conserving a Cochrane International Mobility experience?
Do not hesitate to do it. You will not regret it.

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: Greta Sibrecht
Location: Poznan, Poland
Cochrane International Mobility location: Cochrane Sweden

How did you first learn about Cochrane?
Online! I was reading Cochrane reviews during my studies. I use them to be updated about fields of medicine that interest me, especially neonatology. Last summer (2019) my colleague visited Cochrane Sweden and thanks to him I got to know about Cochrane International Mobility.

What was your experience with Cochrane International Mobility?
I'm involved in virtual CIM, which means that I work remotely from my home city in Poland. Working in an international environment gives me a lot of fun while learning and broadens my mind. It is also a very good way to see thighs from a different perspective, not only during the time of internship abroad but also from our homes.

What are you doing now in relation to your Cochrane International Mobility experience?
Together with Matteo Bruschettini and the team, we are preparing the review about minimizing blood loss in preterm babies. It's the topic I'm very much interested in - I'd like to become a neonatologist in the future.

Do you have any words of advice to anyone conserving a Cochrane International Mobility experience?
It's a mistake not to try!

The Cochrane Library is now temporarily unrestricted for everyone in every country of the world, providing them access to high-quality, independent evidence to inform health decision-making in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Cochrane, an international independent network of 80,000 researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health is taking this unprecedented move to ensure that Cochrane evidence is accessible for all those involved in combating the pandemic and its effects on global public health. 

The Cochrane Libary is the world’s leading resource for systematic reviews in health care, containing more than 10,600 Cochrane Systematic Reviews and protocols; 2,300 Cochrane Clinical Answers (CCAs) providing readable, digestible, clinically-focused guidance for healthcare professionals; 33 ‘Special Collections’ of Reviews curated on specific topics; Editorials; and CENTRAL, one of the world’s largest registers of randomized controlled trials, with over 1.6 million entries.

Temporary unrestricted access to The Cochrane Library is part of a package of measures Cochrane is taking in response to this global health emergency, including making COVID-19 Cochrane Reviews openly available on the Wiley Online Library along with other relevant Wiley content. 

Cochrane’s Editor in Chief, Karla Soares Weiser said: “To assist efforts to contain and mitigate the rapidly evolving Covid-19 pandemic, we know that access to science research is vital. We have been amazed and humbled by the staggering response from Cochrane’s community Groups across the world who wish to contribute and engage with our efforts to date. We will be continuing to work on new ideas to make our content accessible to facilitate the sharing of high-quality, trusted health information and knowledge during these hugely challenging times.”

Craig Robbins, Medical Director, Evidence-Based Practice, Care Management Institute from Kaiser Permanente welcomed today’s announcement: “As a long-term subscriber to the Cochrane Library, Kaiser Permanente has for many years used Cochrane systematic reviews to inform evidence-based care within our healthcare system in the U.S. During this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, we applaud Cochrane’s decision to grant temporary unrestricted access to the Cochrane Library worldwide, especially the sharing of its COVID-19 collections and wide range of systematic reviews across medical conditions.”

 Read full details of Cochrane’s response to COVID-19 here.

Cochrane believes that everyone should be able to make decisions about health care based on the most reliable evidence available. However knowing which health information to trust and which to ignore can be hard. You might get conflicting information from many people who claim to have the answers. While this page is about assessing how reliable health information is in general, it can useful during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How can Cochrane help?
Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health. We produce Cochrane Reviews, systematic reviews of research in healthcare and health policy. Cochrane Reviews are published on The Cochrane Library.

Cochrane  contributors work together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest. This is vital for us to generate authoritative and reliable information, working freely, unconstrained by commercial and financial interests.

We gather and analyze the  best available evidence to help people make informed decisions about health and health care. These are called systematic reviews. Our work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

How can i make informed health choices?
Cochrane has developed a free online training programme called Cochrane Evidence Essentials. It is an easy-to-follow introduction to Evidence Based Medicine, clinical trials, and Cochrane evidence. It is designed for patients, care givers, family members, policy makers, and members of the healthcare team.

You will be guided through the modules by the personal learning journey of ‘Eleni’, a fictional consumer. The modules are presented in the form of a story, but you are free to skip this and explore the learning in any way you choose. The learning is interactive, with things to read, film and audio, quizzes, and ways to check your learning. There are links to further resources if you wish to continue learning about a particular topic.

This learning has been co-produced by healthcare consumers, researchers, and  a range of experts. It's free to use and a fun way to learn about making informed health choices!

Where can I find information I can trust?
In the ever-changing situation that we are in, it's important to have the latest information but we must ensure they are coming from trust-worthy sources. We have collected a variety of helpful resources related to COVID-19 from our community and partners.

• The World HEalth Organization offers reliable and pratical COVID-19 advice for the public, including a myth busters series
• Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility group  have gathered important resources, guidance and advice statements from international organizations and societies related to COVID-19, fertility, and pregnancy
• The Cochrane Consumer Network is a network of patients, carers, and family members with first-hand experience of a healthcare conditions. They have set up a ‘help using evidence’ page on their website. The webpage links to different organizations around the world and resources to help with finding useful health information

In the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must answer the time-sensitive needs of health decision makers as fast as possible, while simultaneously ensuring that the scientific imperative of methodological rigor is satisfied. We are working hard to speed up the normal process for important Cochrane systematic reviews. In response to this we have:

• Created a fast-tracked Editorial Service and documentation
• Created interim methods guidance for rapid reviews
• Prioritized questions while working closely with front-line healthcare workers and health agencies
• Started work on a rapid-review that will focus on several quarantine questions

We will be continuously adding updates and additions to this page as we progress.

Fast-Tracked Editorial Services
We have put resources and systems in place to support swift production, editing, and publication as questions are prioritised.

We have created a Fast-Track and Centralised Editorial Services team and have the following documentation available:

• A standard workflow
• A protocol template
• Full review template -- in progress and coming soon

Interim Methods Guidance
The Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group has developed provisional rapid review methods recommendations for Cochrane and others in the wider knowledge synthesis community to use. We encourage the use of this interim guidance and welcome your feedback at: rapidreviews@cochrane.at

Prioritising Questions
Working closely with our global Cochrane network, the Cochrane Consumer Network, front-line healthcare workers, and health agencies, we are identifying and prioritising the production of rapid reviews to respond to key clinical questions. We are working with urgency to collate and organise the list of questions to identify those of highest priority that are suitable for rapid reviews.

Current Rapid Review Work
We are currently working on the review 'The Effectiveness of Quarantine to Control the Coronavirus Disease 2019: a Rapid Review', which will look at the following  two questions.

• For contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case, is quarantine effective in reducing onwards transmission of COVID-19 infections?
• In repatriated individuals coming from a country with a declared COVID-19 outbreak, is quarantine effective in reducing the incidence of COVID-19 infections?

Cochrane has released a new Special Collection - Options for anaesthesia: evidence for regional anaesthesia

Regional anaesthesia is the term given to a variety of techniques where an anaesthetist injects local anaesthetic around peripheral nerves or the spinal cord to create temporary paraesthesia or paralysis in that part of the body. These techniques can be so effective that they can allow surgery in awake patients, and they provide excellent analgesia allowing for the avoidance of strong opiates and anaesthetic options for patients in whom general anaesthesia may be particularly hazardous. Regional anaesthesia may also improve recovery and limit some common complications of surgery, such as nausea, vomiting, and ileus, but the evidence for some of these outcomes is less certain.

There is much debate amongst anaesthetists as to when regional anaesthesia should be used, the most effective techniques to provide regional anaesthesia, the safety and effectiveness of local anaesthetics, opiates and adjuncts that can be injected, the value of peripheral nerve blocks versus neuraxial blockade, and the complications that can occur.

This Special Collection presents the available evidence from Cochrane Reviews produced by Cochrane Anaesthesia and aims to better inform these debates and support decision-making when planning regional anaesthesia.

• Read 'Options for anaesthesia: evidence for regional anaesthesia'

This page highlights content relating to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the various related activities that Cochrane is undertaking in response. We have been amazed and humbled by the staggering response from our Community across the world who have contributed and engaged with our efforts to date.

Below is a work-in-progress and we will be continuously adding updates and additions to this page. Sections include:

• Providing trusted evidence
• Special Collections
• Rapid Reviews
• Fast-tracked, prioritized updates
• Supporting our Cochrane Community
• Looking ahead
• Trusted resources

We know that basic science research and innovation will be vital in containing and mitigating the effects of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Cochrane can respond promptly to this unprecedented global health crisis by making our health evidence more accessible and available to those needing to make informed decisions at this time. Cochrane can also take a leadership role in explaining and educating the public about different types of health evidence and how to determine if information they hear is trustworthy. 

Initiatives currently underway

• We are making our content openly available on the Wiley Online Library with other relevant content, as well as participating in a broad publishing industry initiative to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and the pace of clinical discovery.
• Shortly, The Cochrane Library will be temporarily unrestricted for everyone, in every country of the world.
• We have launched a campaign to engage those in isolation or practicing social distancing to join us as Citizen Scientists on our Cochrane Crowd platform.
• Cochrane's Evidence Essentials is available for free. It is an online resource offering an introduction to health evidence, and how to use it to make informed health choices

Developed in conjunction with the Cochrane Community and based on World Health Organization interim guidance, these Special Collections assemble Cochrane Reviews in key topic areas relating to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. The Cochrane Reviews in these Collections are free to access. These Special Collections also include links to relevant Cochrane Clinical Answers - readable, clinically-focused, actionable answers to inform point-of-care decision-making for health professionals.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): evidence relevant to critical care
This Special Collection brings together Cochrane Reviews identified as most directly relevant to the management of people hospitalized with severe acute respiratory infections. This collection is currently available in English, Farsi, French, Japanese, and Spanish.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): infection control and prevention measures
This Special Collection brings together Cochrane Reviews identified as most directly relevant to the prevention of infection. This collection is currently available in Simplified Chinese, Farsi, French,  Japanese, Bahasa Malaysia, Russia, and Spanish.

In the exploratory and planning stage

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): remote consultation and home-based care
• Healthcare support for smoking cessation
• Healthcare workforce and mental health
• Creating a special edition of the Cochrane Library app of COVID-19 reviews

We must answer the time-sensitive needs of health decision makers, while simultaneously ensuring that the scientific imperative of methodological rigor is satisfied. We have created a Fast-Track and Centralised Editorial Services team to help speed up the time to publication of important Cochrane Reviews. Working closely with our global Cochrane network, the Cochrane Consumers Network, and health agencies we are identifying and prioritising the production of rapid reviews for response to key clinical questions.

We are working on Rapid Reviews that will address the following Questions

• For contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case, is quarantine effective in reducing onwards transmission of COVID-19 infections?
• In repatriated individuals coming from a country with a declared COVID-19 outbreak, is quarantine effective in reducing the incidence of COVID-19 infections?

In the exploratory and planning stage

• What are low cost alternatives for ventilators?

We have systematic reviews published that are relevant to COVID-19 that we must ensure are up-to-date with the latest evidence. We are identifying these Cochrane Reviews with our partners and are working to publish these updates with urgency, while maintaining the methodological standards that Cochrane is known for.

Currently underway

•  Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses

 We have created a COVID-19 Working Group consisting of representatives from the Public Health Network, Senior Editors, and members from our Geographic and Methods Groups. This group will be meeting weekly and will actively be seeking new funding opportunities to support the creation of a living register of studies and a series of living systematic reviews on vaccines (prevention), diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. They will also be working to help prioritise the different areas of work for Cochrane and liaise with the wider community.

Recent initiatives

• This diverse group will be meeting virtually weekly
• Inviting 'core staff' to use Slack to better facilitate collaborative distance communication as many teams move to work-from-home situations

As an organization, we are planning ahead and taking note of lessons learned. We are committed to creating a living register of studies and a series of living systematic reviews on vaccines (prevention), diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. We aim for these reviews to be fast-tracked for publication in the Cochrane Library in order to support guideline development and, ultimately, preparedness for future outbreaks.

Activities in this area

• The creation of a living repository of studies including gap maps
• Annotating all COVID-19 studies with PICO
• Creating a Task Force to look at themes for upcoming reviews, work through technology challenges, and align Editorial Board members

In the ever-changing situation that we are in, it's important to have the latest information but we must ensure they are coming from trust-worthy sources. We have collected a variety of helpful resources related to COVID-19 from our community and partners.

• WHO's Myth busters series offers practical advice for the public
• Cochrane Gynecology and Pregnancy group  have gathered important resources, guidance and advice statements from international organizations and societies related to COVID-19, fertility, and pregnancy

Specifications: Part time (0.6 FTE), 1-year secondment or consultancy contract with the potential to be extended
Salary: Competitive
Location: Flexible location within US or with host institution if agreed as a secondment
Application Closing Date: 29th March 2020

This role is an exciting opportunity to use your experience to make a difference in the field of health care research.

The successful candidate will support the development of the Cochrane US Network. Working with a US-Network Executive Committee, the US Network Members and Cochrane’s Central Executive, the Cochrane US Network Coordinator will facilitate and support the Network to achieve its strategic and operational objectives.

We are looking for a self-motivated and highly organised individual who is able to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of contacts across the world.  The successful candidate will also have:

• Be US based. Could be independent or affiliated with a US Network member institution.
• Experience in working in a networked or coalition setting.
• Experience facilitating groups in planning and consensus.
• Demonstrable experience in working with various partner organizations.
• Experience in developing funding applications and engaging with funding agencies.
• Strong organizational skills, ability to manage a diverse workload.
• Ability to work independently and proactively under general direction, willing and able to work in a self- directed way.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a natural flair for networking.
• Time management skills and ability to work flexible hours as needed.
• Experience related to all aspects of the planning and organising of meetings, workshops and conferences.
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally when required.

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 recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “Cochrane US Network Coordinator” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

• For further information, please download the full job description from here.
• Deadline for applications: 29th March 2020 (12 midnight GMT)
• Interviews to be held on: 9th April 2020 (Remotely)

As a common skin disease, acne vulgaris affects the physical, mental, and social well-being of millions of adolescents and young adults. A wide range of treatments for acne vulgaris are available, and topical topical benzoyl peroxide (BPO) has been recommended as a priority therapy to be used alone or combined with other topical or oral treatments, depending on acne severity. However, the benefits and harms of BPO have yet to be evaluated.

BPO comes in a gel or face wash, as a prescription medicine or sold over the counter at a lower strength, under well-known brand names such as Clean and Clear, Neutrogena and Clearasil.

The authors reviewed the evidence showing effects and safety of topical BPO, used alone or with other treatments.

Comparisons included an identical but inactive treatment, no treatment, or other active medications for treating acne.

The main outcomes of interest in this review were participant-reported acne improvement and withdrawal from the study due to side effects. More generally, the authors also considered the percentage of participants experiencing any side effects over the whole course of a trial.

The authors included 120 studies, comprising 29,592 men and women with mild to moderate acne; only 67% of studies reported participant age, which ranged between 18 and 30 years. Participants were treated for over eight weeks in nearly two-thirds of the trials.

The review authors found low-certainty evidence to suggest that long-term (i.e. given for longer than eight weeks) BPO treatment may increase self-reported treatment success compared to placebo or no BPO treatment (three studies), but there may be little to no difference when BPO treatment is compared to adapalene (five studies) or clindamycin (one study).

Very low-certainty evidence means that we are uncertain if BPO leads to more side effects among participants receiving medium- to long-term BPO than among those given no treatment/placebo (21 studies), adapalene (seven studies), erythromycin (one study), or salicylic acid (one study).

Medium-term treatment with BPO may lead to increased risk of side effects when compared against clindamycin, but the effects of this treatment vary, so the treatment chosen may make little to no difference (six studies; moderate-certainty evidence). Side effects reported in these studies were usually mild to moderate, and the most common were local dryness, irritation, eczema, redness, pain at the site of application, and pruritus.

• Read the review
• Find out more about Cochrane Skin

Specifications: Full Time, Fixed Term Maternity Cover until February 2021 with the possibility of an extension.
Salary: £30,000 - £35,000
Location: London
Application Closing Date: 5th April 2020

This role is an exciting opportunity to make a difference in the field of health care research. 

The Assistant Editor will support the editorial publishing team in daily publishing operations, editorial and publishing policy development, and setting the publishing strategy for Cochrane content.

Some of their responsibilities will include:

• Manage editorial workflows for Editorials from submission through to publication on the Cochrane Library, working with authors, editors, peer reviewers, and Cochrane’s publisher, to ensure that content is published on time and to a high standard
• Monitor comments received on Cochrane content (including Cochrane Reviews), support comment publication processes, and track progress against targets
• Use content management systems to edit and publish changes to public-facing websites (including the Cochrane Library and the Cochrane Editorial and Publishing Policy Resource)
• Assist with preparing, editing, and updating editorial and publishing policies and related guidance; and contribute to their integration within editorial workflows and systems
• Assist with research into areas of editorial and publishing policy and practice; this will include collating data (e.g. using surveys, querying databases, analysing metrics) and preparing reports related to editorial policies or published content for different audiences
• Publishing strategy: assist with strategic editorial developments, including the evaluation of new product development ideas; and contribute to the development of editorial enhancements to the Cochrane Library product

We are looking for a self-motivated and highly organised individual who is able to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of contacts across the world.  The successful candidate will also have:

• Degree in relevant field or equivalent experience
• An understanding of the importance of systematic reviews to healthcare decision-making
• Previous experience in a similar editorial or publishing role
• An ability to develop and maintain working relationships with key stakeholders
• Strong organization and prioritization skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient level IT skills, including but not limited to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; and able to quickly adopt to different IT packages being used by the organization such as website content management systems (e.g. Drupal, Confluence)
• Ability to work methodically and accurately with attention to detail
• A pro-active approach to problem-solving

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 recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “Assistant Editor” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

• For further information, please download the full job description from here
• Deadline for applications: 5th April 2020 (12 midnight GMT)
• Interviews to be held on: W/C 20th April 2020 (TBC)

The revised policy, which we plan to implement in July 2020, includes stricter rules for financial interests and the consideration of non-financial interests. 

Cochrane is proud to release its revised Conflict of Interest policy for Cochrane Library Content today. The policy was created with the support of a project board made up of key stakeholders and conflict of interest experts from within and outside Cochrane, following a rigorous policy revision process that began in May 2018. It represents a key in promoting the integrity of Cochrane Library content.

Some key features of the revised and strengthened policy are: 

• Authors without conflicts of interest must make up at least two-thirds of the author team.
• Last as well as first authors must be entirely free of conflicts of interest.
• Authors of clinical studies that are funded by industry and are relevant to the topic of a review may not be the first or last author of a Cochrane Review. 
• Non-financial interests must be closely considered and declared by all Cochrane authors, but will not prevent people from creating Cochrane Library content. 

We are planning for the revised policy to come into effect in July 2020. All Cochrane Review titles registered after policy implementation must follow the revised policy, and the same is true for updates that begin after implementation.

We are working closely with our technology teams to ensure that our editorial systems are optimized to support implementation and uptake of the revised policy. Monthly updates on this progress and the implementation date will be provided on the Conflict of Interest policy page. 

Before the policy comes into effect, there will be opportunities for Cochrane Review Group (CRG) editorial team members, authors and other Cochrane members to learn about the policy and how it may affect their Cochrane activities. In addition, a Conflict of Interest Policy Implementation Team, led by Ruth Foxlee, is in place to support policy implementation. 

A new conflict of interest policy page  has been set up at conflictofinterest.cochrane.org to provide access to the both the revised (2020) and old (2014) policies. In addition, the following opportunities to learn more are available. 

• An online learning module will be developed, and other training resources will be available on the page as they are produced. 
• A webinar is being held on March 19, at 10:00 UTC, to introduce the policy and give people an opportunity to ask questions. This session will be focused specifically on the needs of CRG teams, and it will be recorded for those who are not able to attend.
• A community webinar is planned for June 10, and this will also be recorded. 
• Additional virtual training sessions will be scheduled going forward, given the cancellation of face-to-face meetings due to COVID-19.

Karla Soares-Weiser, Editor in Chief of the Cochrane Library, says: “With this Conflict of Interest policy, Cochrane is showing its commitment to independence, transparency, and integrity. This policy will minimize any impact that conflicts of interest could have on Cochrane systematic reviews. We are proud of this policy and its rigor, and know it reaffirms Cochrane’s role as an independent leader in evidence synthesis publishing.”

Catherine Marshall, co-chair of the Cochrane Governing Board says: “Cochrane holds a reputation as a trusted source of healthcare evidence, and with this comes the responsibility to ensure our policy on conflict of interests is robust. This updated policy strengthens and clarifies our expectations but also recognises the need for pragmatism in its implementation.”

Visit Cochrane’s Conflict of Interest page to read the revised policy.  

Read Karla Soares-Weiser’s BMJ Opinion piece about this policy.

Specifications: Part Time (0.6 FTE), 12 Month Fixed Term Contract (Secondment Opportunity Possible)
Salary: £50,000 FTE, £30,000 pro rata
Location: Flexible – Remote Working Possible
Application Closing Date: 29th March 2020

This role is an exciting opportunity to use your experience as a Support Officer to make a difference in the field of health care research. 

This role will provide high-level support to Cochrane’s Chief Executive Officer in managing the business of the Senior Management Team (SMT), Central Executive Team (CET) and wider Cochrane organization; and supporting the work of the Governance & Strategy, and External Affairs & Geographic Groups’ Support units within the Chief Executive’s Office.
The key areas of this role include:

1. Support to the CEO

• Provide general support to the CEO’s leadership and management of the Senior Management Team, Central Executive Team and overall organisation (including ensuring effective preparation and follow up of internal management and external stakeholder meetings).
• Working with the CEO and Executive Support Manager, manage development of the substantive agendas and follow up of Senior Management Team meetings.
• Lead and manage development of the substantive agendas and facilitate key SMT and CET meetings - including CET Webinars, SMT Away Days and the CET annual meeting.
• Undertake other project work, when requested to do so, by the CEO.
• Support the CEO and the communications staff within the Knowledge Translation Department in the preparation of CEO communications to internal and external audiences.
• Contribute to Cochrane’s planning and budgeting processes, and prepare and monitor CEO Office budgets on behalf of the CEO;
• Maintain a culture of dynamic, high-quality work which values attention to detail.

2. Support to CEOO Units
External Affairs & Geographic Groups’ Support Unit

• Support the Head of unit’s management of Cochrane’s Geographic Networks and Groups: including support to new and existing Networks; facilitating new Geographic Group registration processes; monitoring and supporting development of general management agreements; administering and supporting annual reporting (narrative and financial) of all Groups;

Governance & Strategy Unit

• Support the review of Cochrane’s Strategy to 2020; and development of its new strategy from January 2021 and the accompanying monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes and systems;
• Provide support to the team working on Cochrane’s next strategic plan, including project support and written communications (there is flexibility to become more involved as time allows)
• Provide ongoing project and communications support to the strategy team from 2021 onwards

We are looking for a self-motivated and highly organised individual who is able to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of contacts across the world.  The successful candidate will also have:

• A degree (or equivalent experience).
• A full understanding of and commitment to Cochrane’s strategic aims.
• Experience of working within or contributing to Cochrane.
• Excellent written communication skills – including the ability to draft papers, prepare presentations and other documentation in clear, concise and accurate plain English to tight timescales.
• Proven analytical skills with the intellectual ability to assess complex documents and issues, commission and quality-assure papers and reports.
• Ability to work under pressure, make decisions and to solve problems. The post-holder must be able to deal with conflicting demands and prioritise work whilst ensuring that a high-quality service is provided and that deadlines are met.
• Excellent interpersonal skills are required as the role involves interaction with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• A high degree of discretion in handling and/or communicating sensitive and confidential issues and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

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 recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “CEOO Support Officer” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

• For further information, please download the full job description from here
• Deadline for applications: 29th March 2020 (12 midnight GMT)
• Interviews to be held on: From 17th April 2020 onwards

Specifications: Part Time (0.6 FTE), Permanent
Salary: £24,500 FTE, 14,700 pro rata
Location: Flexible – Preferably London or Freiburg
Application Closing Date: 29th March 2020

This role is an exciting opportunity to use your experience as an Administrative Assistant to make a difference in the field of health care research. 

The Administrative Assistant will provide effective and efficient administrative support to the Chief Executive Officer’s Office, primarily supporting the Governance and Strategy Unit and the External Affairs and Geographic Groups’ Support Unit.

The key areas of this role include:

1. Support to the Head of External Affairs & Geographic Groups’ Support:

• Scheduling quarterly meetings between the Head of Unit and Geographic Groups;
• Administrative/logistical support for Cochrane Geographic Network meetings (including US, China and India);
• Maintaining the fundraising database and other Excel databases;
• Maintaining Centres and Directors profiles on our membership database

2. Support to the management of Cochrane’s Governance, strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting Unit, including:

• Assisting the CEO Office’s governance support to the Cochrane Council and Executives;
• Organising in-person and online meetings or teleconferences, including co-ordinating agendas, circulating papers, organising refreshments and taking minutes;
• Maintaining administrative systems (databases/spreadsheets);
• Assisting the CEO Office’s governance support to the Cochrane Council and Executives.

3. Support to both Units:

• Diary support for the Head of Governance and Strategy Unit and the Head of External Affairs and Geographic Groups Unit, as required;
• Arranging travel and accommodation for the Heads of Units;
• Administration of the annual financial monitoring of all Cochrane Groups;
• Assisting with the production of PowerPoint presentations and other materials for use at meetings;
• Minute taking and following up on action points;
• Management of mailing lists related to the CEOO;
• Providing support to and cover for other administrative staff as and when required in order to ensure continuity of service;
• Undertaking other duties as necessary

We are looking for a self-motivated and highly organised individual who is able to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of contacts across the world.  The successful candidate will also have:

• Previous experience of providing administrative support to a team, many of whom are remote workers;
• Experience in complex scheduling and diary management;
• Intermediate level IT skills, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint;
• Strong organization and prioritization skills;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Professional telephone manner;
• Ability to work methodically and accurately;
• A flexible approach with the ability to respond quickly to issues as they arise;
• A pro-active approach to problem-solving;
• Awareness of handling confidential and sensitive information.

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 recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “CEOO Administrative Assistant” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

• For further information, please download the full job description from here
• Deadline for applications: 29th March 2020 (12 midnight GMT)
• Interviews to be held on: From 17th April 2020 onwards

Newly updated evidence published in the Cochrane Library today compares Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and clinically-related Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) programs with other treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, to see if they help people who suffer from alcohol use disorders achieve sobriety or reduce the amount of alcohol that they consume.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent, world-wide problem, and in some countries it is accelerating. ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’ (or AA for short) has been a popular treatment for alcohol use disorder for decades, but much debate has persisted on whether AA – and related 12-step clinical treatments designed to increase AA participation are effective.

AA are peer-led mutual-help groups. Twelve-step facilitation programs adopt some of the principles and techniques of AA and are delivered by clinicians. They are aimed at engaging people within AA during and after treatment for alcohol use disorder. Some of these programs follow a manual, so that the same treatment can be delivered at different times and places.

This Cochrane review looks at the effects of these programs on reducing alcohol consumption and the effects of heavy drinking (such as physical health, family, or employment problems), and enhancing long-term abstinence.  The authors of the review also examined whether AA and TSF programs reduce healthcare costs compared to other treatments.

The previous Cochrane review published in 2006 was based on the eight available studies including a few thousand participants. The quantity and quality of the research has increased substantially since then. Twenty-seven studies are now included in this updated Cochrane review, comprising 10,565 people. The studies included in this update examined a range of programs that differed in their approach and intensity, and these were compared against other programs and different treatments for alcohol use disorder.

The authors found high certainty evidence that clinically delivered and manualized TSF programs designed to increase AA participation can lead to higher rates of continuous abstinence over months and years, when compared to other active treatment approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy. The evidence suggests that 42 % of participants participating in AA would remain completely abstinent one year later, compared to 35% of participants receiving other treatments including CBT. This effect is achieved largely by fostering increased AA participation beyond the end of the TSF program.

When compared to the other treatment approaches Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)-based programs may perform just as well at reducing drinking intensity, negative alcohol-related consequences and addiction severity.

Dr. John Kelly, Elizabeth R. Spallin Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Recovery Research Institute said, “Alcohol use disorder can be devastating for individuals and their families and it presents a significant, worldwide, costly public health problem. Alcoholics Anonymous is a well-known, free, mutual-help fellowship that helps people recover and improve their quality of life.  One important finding from this review was that it does matter what type of TSF intervention people receive - better organized and well-articulated clinical treatments have the best result. In other words, it is important for clinical programs and clinicians to use one of the proven manualized programs to maximize the benefits from AA participation.”

“In terms of healthcare costs, policy makers will be interested that four of the five economics studies we identified showed considerable cost-saving benefits for AA and related 12-step clinical programs designed to increase AA participation, indicating these programs could reduce healthcare costs substantially.”

• Full Citation: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Kelly JF, Humphreys K, Ferri M. Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs for alcohol use disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD012880
• Read interview with author, John Kelly
• For further information, contact pressoffice@cochrane.org
• Follow us on twitter @cochranecollab
  
  
  

The Cochrane Multiple Sclerosis and Rare Diseases of the Central Nervous System (CNS) is looking to appoint a joint Co-Ed to provide leadership of the Group alongside Dr Graziella Filippini who remains Co-Ed of the Group. The Editorial Base of the Group will move from its current base to the organization of the new Co-Ed.

The Multiple Sclerosis and Rare Diseases of the CNS is part of the Cochrane Mental Health and Neuroscience Network (MHN). This is an important opportunity to lead and shape the future development of a strategically important area of Cochrane’s healthcare evidence coverage. The Group portfolio of reviews includes 63 published reviews and 16 protocols.

We invite applications from individuals interested in a job share arrangement and preferentially based in Italy, because we are willing to maintain the Editorial Base of the Group in Italy. Applicants should be aware of the following requirements:

1.        The Co-ordinating Editor(s) must have:

• Experience of authoring Cochrane or alternative high-quality systematic reviews
• Clinical expertise and standing in the field of multiple sclerosis and rare diseases of the CNS
• Methodology expertise in the field of evidence synthesis, including risk of bias and GRADE assessments

2.        The following attributes are highly desirable

• Experience of editing Cochrane reviews or alternative high-quality systematic reviews
• Advanced methodological skills and knowledge
• Experience of multi-stakeholders engagement

3.        The new Co-ordinating Editor must work within the terms of the Collaboration Agreement that defines the responsibilities of Cochrane and the Cochrane Review Group. 

4.        The new Co-ordinating Editor(s) must actively engage with the MHN Network and adhere to the Network Strategic Plan.

For further information, please see the full role description, which sets out all of the responsibilities of the role.

Potential applicants should familiarise themselves with Cochrane’s commercial sponsorship and conflict of interest policy.

Individuals who are interested in exploring this opportunity are welcome to contact Karla Soares-Weiser, Editor-in-Chief (ksoares-weiser@cochrane.org) or Toby Lasserson, Deputy Editor (TLasserson@cochrane.org).

To apply, please send: (i) a letter of application detailing the responses to the numbered bullet points above; (ii) declarations of interest; and (iii) a short Curriculum Vitae to Karla Soares-Weiser.

Deadline for applications: 24th March 2020 (12 midnight GMT)

Details of interviews will be provided in the due course

A United States federal judge has ruled that a decision to exempt many clinical trials from a transparency policy is unlawful, and that the results of these studies must now be published.

The ruling is part of a strategic lawsuit brought by the Yale Media Freedom and Information Access and NYU Technology Law & Policy Clinics on behalf of Charles Seife and Dr Peter Lurie, with the support of the Yale Collaboration for Research Integrity and Transparency.

The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act was enacted by Congress in 2007 to ensure that the results of clinical trials of drugs and medical devices would be publicly available via the ClinicalTrials.gov website.

However, the Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, and Department of Health and Human Services interpreted the law in a way which meant data from potentially hundreds of trials carried out between 2007 and 2017 were exempt. The ruling clarifies that results from these studies do indeed need to be published.

Cochrane relies on the availability of results from clinical trials to produce high quality and relevant systematic reviews. When trial results – whether positive, negative, or neutral – are not published, it is not possible to make truly evidence-informed decisions about healthcare, and people can be put at risk of harm.

• Read more about the case on the Yale Law School website
• Read the case ruling
• Visit the Cochrane US website

Specifications: Secondment contract; may also be open to suitable candidates not eligible for a secondment role, please contact us for additional information.
Hours: Part Time - approximately 3 days per week for 1 year. (Exact specification to be agreed with the individual and their institution)
Location: Remote
Application Closing Date: 22 March 2020

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Cochrane Review Group (CRG) staff member to be involved in implementing Cochrane’s new Editorial Management System (EMS).

This role is open to anyone who has direct experience of working in a CRG and understands the editorial workflow in detail, such as a Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editor or Editorial Assistant.

The main focus of this role is to be the key intermediary between the EMS project team and users of the system, especially Managing Editors, to ensure that they are involved, consulted, informed and trained as appropriate to ensure a smooth implementation of the new system.
The role of the Community Liaison Officer is to ensure that the transition to a new EMS is understood by our community; that users are prepared to adopt the new ways of working; and to provide feedback, advice and support on any required adjustments to processes, working practices, systems and support structures across the organization in order to achieve the benefits of a changing system.

About you

We are looking for a self-motivated and highly organised individual who is able to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of contacts across the world. The successful candidates will also have:

• Current or recent experience of being a Managing Editor in a Cochrane Review Group
• Ability to clearly articulate project implementation plans to a variety of audiences through a variety of channels.
• Excellent listening skills
• Ability to establish and maintain strong relationships with colleagues and peers.
• Forward looking with a holistic approach
• Problem solving and root cause identification skills
• Able to work effectively at all levels in an organization
• Must be a team player and able to work collaboratively with others
• Familiarity with project management approaches, tools and phase of the project lifecycles
• Ability to motivate people to change.
• Experience in delivering training and support
• Self-motivated and results-oriented, with excellent organization and time management skills, including the ability to work to deadlines under limited supervision.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and work assignments.
• Willingness to travel to deliver face to face training to editorial bases as required.
• Willingness to commit to Cochrane’s mission and values.

About us

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 recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “Community Liaison Officer” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

• For further information, please download the full job description from here
• Deadline for applications: 22 March 2020 (12 midnight GMT)
• Interviews to be held: W/C 26 March 2020

Specifications: Full Time, Permanent 
Salary: £30,000
Location: London (preferably), Freiburg or Copenhagen
Application Closing Date: 24th March 2020 (At Midnight)

This role is an exciting opportunity to use your experience as a Project Support Officer to make a difference in the field of health care research. 

The Project Support Officer will provide project management support, co-ordination, and administrative support to the Head of IT Services and the ITS department.

The role’s responsibilities will include:

• Provide administrative support, as required, to the Head of IT Services and the ITS Management Team. For example: arranging meetings and webinars, drafting agendas, meeting notes and documentation, and booking travel.
• Draft communications for key ITS projects and technology initiatives.
• Contribute to and manage documentation relating to the Cochrane technology strategy.
• Coordinate projects with other Central Executive Team (CET) departments.
• To develop good working relationships and shared working practices with the administrative leads within the CET.
• Develop a strong working knowledge of Cochrane’s processes and technologies for editorial management and content production and delivery.
• Identify key activities, areas of over-lap and inter-dependencies between various projects, areas of work, and other Cochrane strategies as they relate to projects and programmes of work within ITS and across the Central Executive Team.
• Undertake any other duties that may be considered appropriate.

The successful candidate will have:

• University degree and experience in project management or project management support and/or equivalent experience in a similar role
• Knowledge of project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Confluence, Jira)
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work requirements
• Effective communicator at all levels within and outside the organization
• The ability to work efficiently and effectively with a geographically-dispersed department and organization
• Good understanding of organisational effectiveness and of identifying and helping to implement best practice
• Excellent written, presentation and verbal communication skills
• Excellent team player
• Is diligent with attention to detail
• Willingness to travel as required

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 recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “Project Support Officer (ITS)” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

• For further information, please download the full job description from here.
• Deadline for applications: 24 March 2020 (12 midnight GMT)
• Interviews to be held on: W/C 06 April 2020

Today Cochrane has released a new Special Collection: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Infection control and prevention measures.

This Cochrane Library Special Collection pulls together the Cochrane Reviews that are identified as most directly relevant to the prevention of infection.

It includes reviews that evaluate the effects of interventions referenced in the WHO interim guidance for the 2019 coronavirus outbreak (28 January 2020), as well as other potentially relevant reviews from three Cochrane Networks:  Cochrane Public Health and Health Systems; Cochrane Musculoskeletal, Oral, Skin and Sensory; and Cochrane Acute and Emergency Care.

This Special Collection is one of two collections on COVID-19. See also the companion Special Collection: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Evidence relevant to critical care.

This Special Collection will be updated to ensure it remains applicable as the situation changes, and as WHO guidance evolves. It will also draw on the knowledge of Cochrane groups in affected regions.

The 2019 Coronavirus outbreak was declared a global Public Health Emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 30th January 2020. 
 
The WHO is now working closely with global experts, governments and partners to rapidly expand scientific knowledge on this new virus, to track the spread and virulence of the virus, and to provide advice to countries and individuals on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak.

• Read the Special Collection: Coronavirus (COVID-19):  Infection control and prevention measures
• Find out more about Cochrane Public Health and Health Systems
• Find out more about Cochrane Musculoskeletal, Oral, Skin and Sensory
• Find out more about Cochrane Acute and Emergency Care.