Cochrane (organisation)

Cochrane (organisation) is a non-profit organisation with collaborators from over 130 countries working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest. Cochrane's work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

History

Cochrane was founded in 1993, named after the British epidemiologist, Archie Cochrane. The organisation was established with the aim of organizing medical research information in a systematic way to facilitate the choices that health professionals, patients, policy makers and others face in health interventions according to the principles of evidence-based medicine.

Work

Cochrane's main product is the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews which is part of The Cochrane Library. The Cochrane Library consists of a regularly updated collection of evidence-based medicine databases, including the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (reviews of randomised controlled trials), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (other systematic reviews), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Methodology Register, the Health Technology Assessment Database, and the NHS Economic Evaluation Database.

Methodology

Cochrane's methodology for conducting systematic reviews is set out in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Cochrane also provides training and support to help people understand the principles of critical appraisal and the methods of systematic reviews.

Impact

Cochrane has been influential in the field of clinical research and has been instrumental in the development of clinical practice guidelines. Its work has also influenced the methodology of clinical research.

Criticism

Like any organisation, Cochrane has faced criticism. Some critics have argued that the organisation's emphasis on randomised controlled trials may not always be the best approach, and that other types of evidence may also be valuable.

See also

• Evidence-based medicine
• Systematic review
• Clinical practice guideline

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