We seek one representative from the methods community (either a Methods Group Convenor or active Methods Group member) to sit on the Cochrane Council. This is an exciting opportunity for methods community members to engage with and contribute to the internal organisation of Cochrane.

The position starts immediately on appointment (likely July 2021).

Please note the deadline for applications is 30 April 2021. 

What is the Cochrane Council? 

The Cochrane Council was established in November 2016 at the recommendation of the Governing Board. The Council aims to ensure that Cochrane Groups retain an effective voice in Cochrane’s leadership and strategic decision-making. The purpose of the Council is to provide:

• a forum for Cochrane Groups to consider high-level matters affecting Cochrane as a whole;
• a mechanism to raise matters and provide input to the Board on behalf of Cochrane Groups and members; and
• a forum to consider matters at the request of the Board and inform Board deliberations.

For further information please see the Council’s website and Terms of Reference.

The Cochrane Council is comprised of 16 members:

• Centre and Branch Directors’ Executive (2 members)
• Cochrane Consumer Network Executive (2 members)
• Co-ordinating Editors’ Executive (2 members)
• Managing Editors’ Executive (2 members)
• Author’s Forum (2 members)
• Information Specialists Executive (2 members)
• Fields’ Executive (2 members)
• Methods Groups and Network (2 members)

The term of Council membership is three years. Members may be re-appointed through the normal process established by their constituency but may not serve longer than six years in total.

Details of the open position on the Cochrane Council 

The Methods representatives on the Council represent the Cochrane methods community. We are therefore looking for a Cochrane methods community member (either a Methods Group Convenor or active Methods Group member) with a proven track record in making contributions to Cochrane methods and Methods Groups, and who understand their issues. We seek active methods community members, with either expertise or a keen interest in methods covered by one or more of our Methods Groups and motivated to work on cross-cutting topics for the benefit of the Cochrane community as a whole.  

Methods representatives on the Cochrane Council automatically sit on the Methods Executive (see the Methods Executive Terms of Reference) in a deputising role. Methods Executive teleconference attendance is rotated between the two Council methods members, in person meetings at the Cochrane Governance meetings and Cochrane Colloquium are attended by both Methods representatives.

Role commitment: 

• A term of office for three years
• Participation in up to six Council and three/four Methods Executive teleconferences per year 
• Attendance at Cochrane Governance meetings and Cochrane Colloquium
• Support all Council and Methods Executive activities including participating in subgroups and report writing 

We are unable to provide financial remuneration for this position, although we would cover any expenses incurred in the course of Council activity, such as travel and accommodation, based on prior agreement.

Please note: following a successful application, members will be required to complete a conflict of interest disclosure. Cochrane’s Conflict of Interests and Commercial Sponsorship Policy are available here and here.

For more information please contact Sarah Nevitt (Sarah.Nevitt@liverpool.ac.uk), Council Methods representative.

APPLY HERE

Professor Asbjørn Hróbjartsson is the new Head of Cochrane Denmark, formerly called the Nordic Cochrane Centre. He is a Professor of Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Research Methodology at the University of Southern Denmark, and Head of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Odense (CEBMO).

Asbjørn comes with extensive experience as a researcher and leader. He has had multiple roles in Cochrane, including as a senior researcher at the Nordic Cochrane Centre from 2001-2015. Currently, he serves on the Cochrane Scientific Committee, is editor of the Cochrane Methodology Review Group, and is a joint leader of the Cochrane Bias Methods Group, which CEBMO hosts.

With a strong international research profile in evidence-based medicine, Asbjørn has focused on the quality of clinical research, especially systematic reviews and clinical trials. He has an interest in ways to assess and minimize bias in clinical studies. He has published extensively on blinding, placebo, reporting bias, conflicts of interest, and guidelines for good scientific reporting.

Asbjørn states, “To lead Cochrane Denmark, in close affiliation with CEBMO, is a great opportunity for strengthening the production and dissemination of health care evidence, and for supporting evidence-based choices made by patients, health care providers and decision makers. Synthesis of well-performed clinical research, e.g. Cochrane Reviews, are essential for assessments of when health care interventions do more good than harm. I look forward to an adventurous journey and invite all with an interest in evidence, Cochrane and health to join.”

Mark Wilson, Cochrane’s Chief Executive Officer says, “I warmly welcome Asbjørn’s appointment as the new Head of Cochrane Denmark. His extensive involvement in Cochrane’s work combined with his leadership within the Danish evidence synthesis community makes him perfectly equipped for the post. This marks an exciting new chapter for Cochrane Denmark. Asbjørn will lead a dynamic and experienced team of key staff, and I’m sure that Cochrane Denmark’s influence on evidence-informed health decision making in Denmark and around the world will grow in the coming years.”

Ole Skøtt, Dean of The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, adds, “It is a great honour for the University that Asbjørn Hróbjartsson has accepted the position as Head of Cochrane Denmark, in addition to his position as a successful Head of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Odense. It is of paramount importance for patients, health care providers and the public to be sure that our treatments and recommendations are supported by the best available evidence, and to highlight where such information is missing. The combination of Cochrane Denmark and CEBMO, and the extensive international collaboration within the Cochrane network, is a significant step forward in achieving these goals.”

Cochrane Denmark represents Cochrane nationally, conducts methodological research, and supports researchers conducting Cochrane reviews.

• If you would like to know more about Cochrane Denmark, then please contact Dina Muscat Meng, Communications Consultant: dmm@cochrane.dk /+45 27201398
• Find more information about the new organizational setup here:
  • Press release from SDU (in Danish)
  • Press release from the Danish Ministry of Health (in Danish)
• Visit our website www.cochrane.dk or follow us on Twitter @CochraneDK for the latest news and information from our Centre.

The Cochrane community is embracing their geek chic and love for evidence-based healthcare with Cochrane merch!

Visit the Cochrane Store for branded t-shirts, tote bags, and mugs.

It's a great way to show off your pride in Cochrane work while also giving back - all money from sales will be reinvested in helping people get involved in Cochrane.

Cochrane-branded items are not completely new to the community

Branded items have been printed out to celebrate Colloquia and special events in the past. We have heard from our Community members how they have taken pride in wearing a bit of the global organization they are a part of. Some of the items that people have contain the previous Cochrane logo and some are worn with age and use - it's time for a refresh! 

Geek-Chic designs while staying true to Cochrane

The store has a collection of designs created by science illustrator Science Scribbles. Dr. Lauren Callender says, "For this project, I particularly wanted to draw attention to the fact that Cochrane is very highly regarded by the scientific community. I hope I was able to visually depict this and that people will really love the designs!" 

#MyCochrane

We would love to see you wearing and using your new Cochrane items! Tag us on social media and use the #MyCochrane hashtag to show your Cochrane pride! To be sure we see them and give you credit email your picture to mumoquit@cochrane.org and let us know your Instagram or Twitter handle so we can give you credit.

Personalized designs available for Cochrane Groups

Celebrating a Cochrane Group milestone, a thank you for the completion of an important project, or a local symposium? We can help with the personalization of a product to be added to the store. If you are interested, please contact Lydia Parsonson (lparsonson@cochrane.org} with the following information:

• Group Name
• Group Colour
• Event (if applicable)
• Image/text requested
• Item required (mug, t-shirt, tote bag)

• Visit the Cochrane store
• Read the interview with the designer

The Cochrane Iberoamérica Network extends their condolences to family and friends for the recent death of Patricia Caballero. Patricia was the Director of the Associated Cochrane Center of Peru hosted at the National Institute of Health of Peru. Patricia was a specialist in Infectious and Tropical Disease Medicine, held a master's degree in Public Health and Health Services Management, and was a senior professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. She was also a member of the research groups on tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections and was the coordinator of the Unit for Analysis and Generation of Evidence in Public Health. Patricia will be remembered dearly as a caring colleague and for her passion for evidence-based healthcare.

In the image, Patricia (fourth from the left) appears with other colleagues attending the 7th Meeting of the Ibero-American Cochrane Network "Working to reduce the gaps in healthcare knowledge", in Havana in 2018.

The Cochrane’s Consumer Network Executive advocates for consumers and provides leadership for the Cochrane Consumer Network. This is unique in research: an international community of patients, caregivers, family members and others who are united by an interest in health evidence and who often volunteer to help produce and spread Cochrane evidence. The Network is now (January 2021) over 1800 strong and growing and represented across 79 countries. The Executive also represents the consumer voice in other areas of Cochrane, including identifying two members of Cochrane’s Council.

Following calls to the community in 2020 two new people have been appointed to the Executive for, initially for one year, with the possibility of up to three years.

Maureen Smith, Chair of the Consumer Network Executive welcomed the two new members: Ndi Euphrasia Ebai-atuh and Jack Nunn. “The Consumer Executive is thrilled to welcome these two talented, committed consumers. There is no doubt that Euphrasia and Jack will add to our breadth of expertise, skills, and experience. Our Executive shares their passion for consumer involvement in evidence-based medicine and looks forward to working with them.”

Meet our new members

Ndi Euphrasia Ebai-atuh
Euphrasia is a founding member and Vice President of Cameroon Consumer Service Organisation (CamCoSO). She leads the Programs and Decision Support Teams. They work with state institutions, local authorities and a wide range of both national and international basic service providers in engaging Cameroon consumers in the production and delivery decision making process, of the products they consume.

The Program and Decision Support teams are responsible for CamCoSO’s development and implementation of initiatives that promote and protect the rights of the Cameroon consumer.

She holds a Master’s degree in Accounting and has being lecturing with the Catholic University of Cameroon (CATUC), Bamenda since 2014. Her background in research and passion for consumer rights advocacy led her to join Cochrane in 2017, where she has worked to provide consumer inputs on reviews.

Her love for “what works” has earned her membership, several posts of responsibility and a household name with Global Evidence Actors such as African Evidence Network (AEN) and Cochrane.
 
Euphrasia will also be joining the Cochrane Council as a consumer member, alongside Rachel Plachcinski.

Jack Nunn
Jack has a long-standing interest in creating and evaluating equitable and ethical ways for people to get involved in all aspects of research and science. Jack is a PhD researcher in the department of Public Health at La Trobe University, where he is currently exploring genomic research and how people can be involved in shaping the future of this research.

Jack is the founder and Director of the not-for-profit education organisation ‘Science for All’, working to involve people in doing research by building partnerships between the public and researchers. Jack is currently leading the co-creation of ‘Standardised Data on Initiatives (STARDIT) with multiple international partners, to create a standard way to share data about involvement in research and other initiatives.

He has recently worked on projects with Cochrane Australia, the World Health Organisation, the Australian Department of Health, the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and the UK's National Institute of Health Research. Jack worked for a large UK health charity (Macmillan Cancer Support) for 5 years, working to involve the public in research and improving services.

Jack is a member of the Australian Federal Departments of Health's Medical Services Advisory Committee Evaluation Sub-committee, the Cochrane Advocacy Advisory Group and is the Strategy Liaison for the Wikimedia Foundation WikiJournals.

Jack is on the editorial board for ‘Research Involvement and Engagement’, the ‘WikiJournal of Science’ and the ‘WikiJournal of Humanities’.

Key issues ahead for the CE:

Maureen Smith, chair of the Cochrane Consumer Network Executive says, “The Cochrane Consumer Executive has a vision for a global community of healthcare consumers (parents, carers, and the public) united by their search for high quality, unbiased information about health conditions and treatment, and who can contribute meaningfully throughout the process of production and dissemination of research. It’s vision has only been strengthened by the incredible challenges of the pandemic. Never before has consumer involvement in all aspects of evidence-based medicine been more critical.”

CE objectives for the next three years are:

1. Advocate for consumers as users and producers of Cochrane evidence
2. Advise and give practical support to the whole Cochrane community in engaging and involving consumers in producing usable, accessible, quality evidence to inform health decisions
3. Represent the priorities and concerns of healthcare consumers to Cochrane
4. Engage with a diverse and global range of healthcare consumers, patient-led organisations and partnerships with organisations and in the global health research community
5. Support consumers in their governance role within Cochrane

For more information about the Cochrane Consumer Network, and to join,  go to www.consumers.cochrane.org, follow them on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/groups/188375461224285,  on Twitter @cochraneconsumr or email consumers@cochrane.org.

Robust and innovative methods are the lynchpin of Cochrane and our reputation for high-quality systematic reviews. Our future sustainability relies on our ability to attract and work closely with methodologists and researchers, ensuring methods are used accurately and implemented wisely.

Cochrane has 52 Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) that produce our Cochrane Reviews. Reviews will use different methods depending on the specific research question that the review is aiming to address. Cochrane links up with the community that’s developing guidance and best practice for these different methods through its Methods Groups, of which there are 17, each dedicated to a certain method of review type.

Over recent years, Cochrane Reviews have become more complex as they incorporate new methods and other innovations. We therefore need to make sure that how Methods Groups and CRGs work together is sustainable in the long term.  

Understanding how to improve the links between Methods Groups and CRGs

In the second half of 2019, we interviewed the leads of all 17 Methods Groups to understand their experiences managing their Groups. To address the issues and suggestions that came out of this we developed some initial proposals. In April 2020, we held teleconferences with them to gain feedback on these proposals. In early 2020, we also ran a survey open to all CRGs to understand their methodological priorities.

The overarching feedback was the need to improve methodological capacity within Cochrane and build a wider, more fluid and inclusive methods community that spans Methods Groups, CRGs and all other Cochrane groups.

To start addressing this, we set out to create a new process for methodologists and researchers to sign up to a Cochrane methods community that: increases diversity and inclusivity; streamlines the process and unifies onboarding of new members across Methods Groups; enables members to maintain their own records, contributions and interests; and records members’ expertise and accreditations for specific Cochrane tasks.

As part of this, we are:

1. Creating a single place to sign-up to the Cochrane Methods Network and specific Methods Groups
2. Developing Cochrane's Cochrane Engage to better meet the needs of the methods community, CRGs and Methods Groups

Creating a single place to sign-up to the Cochrane Methods Network and specific Methods Groups

We are delighted that this is now live – see join.cochrane.org/what-you-can-do/methods. We welcome all who are interested in Cochrane methods or evidence synthesis methods to the Methods Network. Each person is able to choose which Methods Group(s) they are interested in and how they want to get involved. Those who sign-up are sent a welcome pack with details about the Methods Network, the benefits of joining, as well as how to get involved and stay up-to-date.

Developing Cochrane Engage to better meet the needs of the methods community, CRGs and Methods Groups

Within the Cochrane Methods welcome pack it highlights how to create a Cochrane Engage profile if you are interested in becoming a methods peer reviewer, advisor, or even author. It also shows how to get involved in other methods-related tasks across Cochrane.

In terms of developments to the Cochrane Engage platform itself, we are investigating what’s possible with current Cochrane platforms and what we should prioritise. Possible developments include updating the topics and skills list to represent the different methods-related tasks, as well as how to highlight level of experience and expertise in different areas.

We are developing guidance for CRGs and Methods Groups on how to use Cochrane Engage and Archie database to find those who can contribute to Cochrane Reviews or methods-related projects and tasks.

Our current plans take us to mid-2021 and will create a solid foundation to further develop the links within the methods community. Our aim is to build a broad, diverse and well-connected community of methodologists and researchers that fosters innovation and supports the continued production of high-quality Cochrane Reviews. These are exciting first steps and we are looking forward to seeing how plans develop over 2021 with the launch of Cochrane’s new strategic framework.

• If anyone has any questions or would like more information on what’s included in this new item, please contact support@cochrane.org.
• If you would like to join Cochrane's Methods Network, please complete this webform.

Ella Flemyng
Methods Implementation Manager

I would like to thank the members of the project’s Advisory Group: Tianjing Li (Methods Executive, Methods Group), Isabelle Boutron (Methods Group, Editorial Board), Larysa Rydzewska (Methods Group), Rachael Kelly (Managing Editors Executive, CRG), Lindsey Elstub (Managing Editors Executive, CRG), Rachel Richardson (Network Associate Editor) and Tess Moore (Methods Support Unit). I’d also like to thank the Methods Groups and CRGs who provided feedback that informed this project.

Cochrane is delighted to launch Spanish and Japanese translations of MECIR (Methodological Expectations for Cochrane Intervention Reviews) from Cochrane Iberoamerica and Cochrane Japan, respectively.

These are the first translations of Cochrane’s methods guidance since the launch of version 6 of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (see this Cochrane Editorial for more details about the Handbook’s launch). This is an important milestone in supporting the engagement of people with different native languages in Cochrane Reviews.

Access the translated versions of MECIR in Spanish and in Japanese. 

Ensuring that Cochrane Reviews represent the highest possible quality is critical if they are to inform decision making in clinical practice and health policy. MECIR are Standards that guide the conduct and reporting of Cochrane Intervention Reviews; they are essential the ‘how-to’ guide for Cochrane Reviews and are drawn from the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. All Standards are tagged as ‘mandatory’ or ‘highly desirable’. Mandatory Standards should always be met unless an appropriate justification for not doing so can be provided. Highly desirable Standards should generally be implemented but justification for not implementing them is unnecessary. 

The development of MECIR has been a collaborative effort over the years, involving review authors, editors and methodologists from all corners of our community. We are thrilled that this collaboration now includes Cochrane Translation Teams.

Dr Karla Soares-Weiser, Cochrane’s Editor-in-Chief, said: “Cochrane has published more than 33,900 translations of Cochrane Review plain language summaries and/or abstracts as of December 2020. Even though Cochrane Reviews are produced in English, having methods guidance for our Reviews available in non-English languages can help increase the diversity and inclusivity of author teams, especially for Reviews that need expertise from particular settings or countries where English is not a native language. The translation of Cochrane methods guidance is also important for review and methods training in non-English speaking countries as it reduces the linguistic barrier for researchers getting involved.”

Dr Xavier Bonfill Cosp, Director of Cochrane Iberoamerica, said: “The Spanish version of MECIR is a useful tool for Spanish-speaking authors and will contribute to ensuring that high-quality reviews are conducted in the global multilingual collaboration that is Cochrane. At Cochrane Iberoamerica we are happy to have been part of this translation effort and we look forward to increasing its accessibility in the future through more interactive on-line platforms.”

Dr Norio Watanabe, Director of Cochrane Japan, said: “I am very happy and honored to publish the Japanese version of the MECIR, because I believe this can contribute not only to Cochrane review authors but also to anyone who thinks of interpreting results from systematic reviews in Japan. We are now planning to translate the latest version of Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions as a next step.”

Post written by Judith Deppe (Multi-language Programme Manager, Cochrane) and Ella Flemyng (Methods Implementation Manager, Cochrane)

Additional resources:

• MECIR in English
• MECIR in Spanish
• MECIR in Japanese
• The process for translating MECIR

Welcome to the fourth annual Cochrane Methods report compiled by the Methods Team in the Central Executive Team (CET) to provide an overview of the key methodological developments in Cochrane over the past year. The report highlights the importance of our Methods community, particularly Cochrane Methods Groups and their members, in continuing to improve the relevance, quality and timeliness of Cochrane reviews. Major developments this year have included… 

Rapid Reviews and Living Systematic Reviews come to the forefront in Cochrane’s COVID-19 response

As the World Health Organisation declared coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic in March 2020, pressures mounted to ensure interventions to treat and prevent COVID-19 were based on evidence. As part of Cochrane’s response, working with the Rapid Reviews Methods Group, we developed processes for the production of Cochrane Rapid Reviews on COVID-19 so decisions that needed to be made quickly, could be made on evidence. As of 23 November 2020, Cochrane has published nine COVID-19 Rapid Reviews, with another seven in development. Living Cochrane Reviews have also taken centre stage as primary research has evolved dramatically since early 2020, and health decisions need to be made to the most up-to-date evidence. As of 23 November 2020, Cochrane has published six COVID-19 Living Reviews, with another six in development. You’ll be able to read more about rapid reviews and living reviews as part of Cochrane’s COVID-19 response in the 'Collaborating in response to COVID-19: editorial and methods initiatives across Cochrane’ CDSR supplement, due to publish in December 2020.

Methods Support Unit establishes its position supporting Cochrane Review Groups

The Methods Support Unit (MSU) launched in October 2019 and includes one part-time Statistical Editor, one part-time Epidemiological Editor, a fulltime Systematic Review Methodological Editor and a short-term, part-time Statistical Editor. Since then we have responded to 443 requests for support or peer review of protocols, full reviews and updates. This support ranges from specific advice and comment to individual review authors and Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) through to development of materials that can be shared widely through the Cochrane community. Our support has predominantly been for complex methods including: network meta-analysis (NMA); non-randomised studies (NRS); Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2); Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) and for COVID rapid-review protocols and full reviews. We’ve developed three protocol templates for standard intervention reviews, reviews including NMA and reviews including NRS. We’ve delivered editorial training on RoB 2 to Networks and CRGs, created checklists for including RoB 2 in protocols and reviews and provided discussion space through monthly Web Clinics. In addition, we’ve organised two webinar series: one for network meta-analysis, which included five webinars, and one for RoB 2, which included 9 webinars. 

The MSU also hosts a monthly Web Clinic, which is currently dedicated to RoB 2 and open to all Cochrane authors and CRG staff memebrs.

From pilot to phased implementation of Risk of Bias 2

A lot of work has been done in 2020 to understand the experience of Cochrane authors and editors using the  use the new Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool, and to put the necessary training, guidance and technology in place to support a wider uptake in Cochrane Reviews. As of 23 November 2020, RoB 2 is being used, or planning to be used, in more than 80 Cochrane Reviews across 35 Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs). The Cochrane Editorial Board has posted a position statement on RoB 2 in Cochrane and the expectations for Cochrane Review Groups going forward, which takes on board the experiences of authors and editors during the pilot so far. The recommendations highlight that the use of RoB 2 is the preferred tool to assess RCTs in Cochrane Intervention Reviews, but it is not mandatory, with more details in the full post. Additional community items detail what you need to know about RoB 2 in Cochrane and what we’ve learnt during the pilot, as well as the release of an introductory leaflet with short videos, the RoB 2 Starter Pack and detailed FAQs (all available via Cochrane Methods: methods.cochrane.org/risk-bias-2).  

Read the first review from the pilot (Physical activity interventions for people with congenital heart disease) and accompanying Editorial for more information.

Other priority methods projects in Cochrane 

Other key developments include:

• the launch of an online learning module on synthesis without meta-analysis reporting
• the launch of a Learning Live Webinar series on Risk of Bias 2
• the launch of guidance for Cochrane living systematic reviews from the Living Evidence Network
• the launch of Cochrane Interactive Learning modules for equity
• the release of the interim definition and methods guidance for Cochrane Rapid Reviews
• draft guidance on using clinical study reports in Cochrane Reviews was released 

Following feedback from the Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) and Cochrane Methods Groups, the Methods Team are developing the Cochrane Methods website to create a go-to place for CRG staff, Cochrane authors and members of the Cochrane Methods Network to get the most up-to-date information on these methods projects. Watch this space for updates soon! 

Achievements and contributions from the Methods Groups

The Cochrane Central Executive Team greatly appreciate the expertise and contributions of the Cochrane Methods Groups. In fact, this year we want to showcase the Groups and bring their contributions to the fore. A full overview of the outputs in methods research and development, best practice and guidance, methods implementation, as well as publications and other achievements from each of our 17 Methods Groups can be found via the links in the box below. To give you a quick overview of their main achievements we have created summary reports. We are also pleased to share the annual highlight from each Methods Group.  You can access all this by exploring the links in the box below.

To further highlight the work of the Methods Groups, Cochrane has launched a series of ‘A Day With..’ events to highlight the people behind Cochrane’s 17 Methods Groups and how their work contributes to Cochrane’s mission. The series kicked off with the Information Retrieval Methods Group on 22 October, followed by the GRADEing Methods Group on 18 November, and more to be announced in 2021.

Cochrane Handbooks and methods guidance

Following the launch of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions in July 2019, we have now announced the first update to the online version. Version 6.1 of the Handbook launched in September 2020 with minor changes. This also includes the chapter on overviews and online supplementary materials. Over the last, year updates have also been made to the Methodological Expectations for Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR) to reflect the new Handbook.

The Cochrane Handbook for Diagnostic Test Accuracy Reviews continues to develop under the leadership of Jon Deeks and Patrick Bossuyt, Senior Scientific Editors, with Mariska Leeflang (Associate Scientific Editor), Yemisi Takwoingi (Associate Scientific Editor), Laura Mellor (Editorial Assistant) and Ella Flemyng (Managing Editor). The first chapters are out to peer review and an update on the status of the project will be shared in early 2021.

Methods community

Co-Chaired by Julian Higgins and Jo McKenzie, we hosted a virtual Methods Symposium in February 2020 on developing robust review protocols with increasingly diverse evidence. Joined by researchers from across the Methods Groups, talks included issues with pre-specification, the notion of PICO for synthesis, the problem of multiplicity, NMA, qualitative evidence, adverse effects and test accuracy. Full details and recording are available here. 

Following consultation with the Methods Groups and Cochrane Review Groups, we have recently announced the new Cochrane Methods Network with a new portal where you can sign up to be part of the Cochrane Methods Network and specific Methods Groups. New members are also sent a welcome pack detailing how you can get more involved. Next we’ll be looking at how TaskExchange could better meet the needs of the methods community and Cochrane Review Groups. Our overall aim is to build a broad, diverse and well-connected community of methodologists to foster innovation and support the production of high-quality Cochrane Reviews; watch this space as the project develops!

We say goodbye and thanks to the following:

Yemisi Takwoingi stepped down from the Cochrane Council and the associated position on the Cochrane Methods Executive
Ian Shemilt and Luke Vale, Co-Convenors, Economics Methods Group
Sally Crowe, Co-Convenor, Priority Setting Methods Group
Maroeska Rovers, Co-Convenor, IPD Meta-Analysis
Rob Scholten, Associate Scientific Editor for the Cochrane Handbook for DTA Reviews

And we welcome:

Sarah Nevitt to the Cochrane Council as methods representative, with the associated position on the Methods Executive. A news post on the appointment is here
Mona Nasser and Jamie-Hartmann-Boyce to the Cochrane Scientific Committee. A news post on their appointment is here
Denny John is appointed Convenor Chair of the Economics Methods Group
Pauline Sobiesuo, Co-Convenor Economics, Methods Group
Kevin Pottie and Elizabeth Kristjansson, Co-Convenors, Equity Methods Group
Sumanth Kumbargere Nagraj, Co-Convenor, Priority Setting Methods Group
Declan Devane, Co-Convenor, Rapid Reviews Methods Group
Kayleigh Kew, Senior Editor for Methods (Editorial and Methods Department)
Simon Turner, Statistical Editor in the Methods Support Unit (Editorial and Methods Department)

With respect and best wishes,

Ella Flemyng
Methods Implementation Manager

Originally posted on Cochrane Methods

 A day with… GRADEing Methods Group is taking place on Wednesday 18 November 2020.  The free event will cover Cochrane GRADEing Methods Group, GRADE approach to assessing certainty of evidence, 'Summary of findings' tables and related topics. You can sign up to join us for a session on latest methodological developments, pose a challenging methods question for one of our experts, explore some of the free learning that is available, or take part in Twitter chats on the day.

• View more information and register on Cochrane Training