A new Cochrane Council has been established to represent Cochrane’s various communities and provide a forum for discussion of high-level issues that cut across all Cochrane’s Groups and contributors. The Council was established as part of the 2016 Governance Restructure Project, and met for the first time at the Mid-Year Meetings in Geneva on 6 April 2017.

Julie Brown (author representative, NZ), and Fergus Macbeth (Co-Ed representative, UK) were elected as Co-Chairs by the members of the Council, and full information on the Council members and Terms of Reference is available on the Council page on the Cochrane Community website.

At its first meeting, the Council:
•    reviewed and adopted their Terms of Reference;
•    reviewed the agenda and papers for the Governing Board meeting also held in Geneva, and sent feedback to the Board;
•    discussed the proposed thresholds for attaining and retaining membership under Cochrane’s new membership scheme to be introduced in 2017;
•    discussed and endorsed the Consumer Network’s document, “Consumer involvement in Cochrane: Statement of principles”.

The Council welcomes requests from the community for matters to be discussed at its future meetings. Matters raised should be of wide relevance to all Cochrane’s Groups and contributors. Contact information is available on the Council website.