FAQs | Cochrane Community

About Cochrane

Who or what is 'Cochrane'?

A: Cochrane is named in honour of a British healthcare researcher called Archie Cochrane who died in 1988. Information about Archie Cochrane is available here.

Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professional, patients, carers, and people interest in health. Cochrane contributors from more than 130 countries work together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest. Many of our contributors are world leaders in their fields and our groups are situated in some of the world’s most respected academic and medical institutions.

How many centres, groups, and networks does Cochrane comprise?

A: Cochrane is made up of: 14 Centres and 19 Associate Centres, 16 Methods Groups, 11 Fields & Networks, and 53 Review Groups.

For more information about all of these groups, please visit http://www.cochrane.org/contact.

Join Cochrane

How do I find more information about joining/being a part of Cochrane?

A: To find out more about getting involved with Cochrane's work, please look at the 'Join Cochrane' section of our website.

Cochrane Resources

What is the difference between a protocol and a review?

A: According to Cochrane a protocol is a plan or set of steps to be followed in a study. A protocol for a systematic review should describe the rationale for the review; the objectives; and the methods that will be used to locate, select and critically appraise studies, and to collect and analyse data from the included studies.

A Cochrane Review is a systematic, up-to-date summary of reliable evidence of the benefits and risks of health care. Cochrane Reviews are intended to help people make practical decisions. For a review to be called a "Cochrane Review" it must be in the Parent Database maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration.

For more information about the two types of studies please refer to the Cochrane Reviewers’ Handbook.

What is the Cochrane Handbook and how can I get a copy of it?

A: The Cochrane Handbook is formally known as the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. It provides guidance and advice on how to prepare and maintain Cochrane Reviews. Over the years Cochrane has developed multiple handbooks for different types of reviews and tools; to access these, please visit the Guides and handbooks page on the Cochrane Training website.

How do I get hold of the software used to write Cochrane Reviews (RevMan)?

A: RevMan can be downloaded free of charge.

Where can I find information or resources to help me with improving my group’s website?

A: Manuals, videos and tools are all available for your use at the Cochrane Brand page.

Where can I find the Cochrane logo or information to create Cochrane branded products?

A: The Cochrane Brand page has brand files, templates and other resources that you can use.

What is Archie?

A: It is Cochrane’s main portal and central server for managing reviews, documents and contact information.

Cochrane Events

Where will the next Cochrane Colloquia be held?

A: Please visit https://colloquium.cochrane.org/ for more information about the next Colloquia.

Where can I find information about upcoming Cochrane events?

A: Please visit the Events page to find out more about upcoming Cochrane events.

Cochrane Community Support

Who can I contact for questions concerning the community website?

A: Please contact support@cochrane.org for questions related to the community websites.