The Department of Clinical Sciences has an exciting opportunity for a Managing Editor to work in the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group

The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for research in tropical diseases.  This includes the Centre for Evidence Synthesis in Global Health, which houses the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (CIDG), one of the first Cochrane Groups and highly successful, and well known for its exacting standards.

As the Managing Editor of CIDG you will help organize review production across over 600 authors from some 52 countries. These reviews are around the effects of healthcare interventions for infectious diseases, particularly malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhoea, tropical diseases and HIV/AIDS. You will be interacting with Editors from CIDG of international repute, working closely with the dynamic team of in-house researchers, administrators and communication specialists as well as authors and partners who are part of the Effective Health Care Research Programme Consortium. You will also be the link between the existing and potential authors who need support for the Cochrane Reviews. As a representative of CIDG, you will participate in events and working groups and ensure that developments on both sides are communicated and updated. You will be responsible for the day to day management of the CIDG Editorial team in addition to implementing the CIDG strategic plan.

It is essential for this role that you possess a postgraduate degree in biomedical science or a health-related subject, with proven experience in writing up medical or biomedical scientific research clearly and concisely. If you have been involved in working with Cochrane Reviews, or systematic reviews, and have experience of technical editing; including copy editing/proof reading in medicine or biomedical science, it will also be an added advantage. Given the wide scope in people management and interactions, the job holder must have worked with and managed teams from diverse backgrounds and qualifications. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate scientific writing skills, have advanced IT and excellent project management skills, as well as the ability to adapt to new software. Given the nature of the role, you must be able to travel nationally and internationally.

Closing Date: Tuesday 15th August 2017

See full job posting on the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine website

Tuesday, August 1, 2017 Category: Jobs

Latest evidence published in the Cochrane Library suggests that taking a multivitamin supplement that includes vitamin E, carotenoids (beta-carotene or lutein or zeaxanthin), vitamin C, and zinc may slow down the progression of the common eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

See additional resources at the bottom of the page

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive and sight-threatening disease affecting the central area of the retina and affects large numbers of people across the world. Population-based studies suggest that in older people (80 years and older), approximately one in three people have early signs of the disease.

There are numerous unanswered questions in the treatment of AMD. There has been a growing perception amongst eyecare professionals that taking vitamin supplements and antioxidants, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, may protect patients against the progression of the eye disease.

A team of Cochrane researchers conducted a study to assess whether taking antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements slows down the progression of AMD in people with a diagnosis of AMD. They collected and analyzed data from 19 studies involving men and women from Australia, China, Europe, and the USA.

Lead author Jenny Evans from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine explains more:

How important was it to update this Cochrane Review?
This is a topic that is currently of much interest to people with AMD. The review was last updated in 2012 and we knew that there were new studies available.

What did you find?
We found 19 studies that compared various types of vitamins against placebo in people with AMD. The evidence was mixed, but there was one large study in the USA that suggested that a particular combination of these vitamins may slow down the progression of the disease. 

We did not find evidence that these supplements on their own were so useful.

What does this mean?
If you have a diagnosis of AMD, then vitamin supplements may be helpful.

How robust is this evidence?
The evidence is not so robust. Most of the evidence comes from one large study from the USA which followed people up over six years. The other studies in the review were small and shorter duration and less conclusive.

What would your message be to eyecare practitioners?
People with AMD may be interested in taking vitamin supplements. The benefits and harms should be explained clearly.

What would your message be to patients already taking vitamin supplements for AMD?
The decision as to whether or not to take vitamin supplements is up to you. You may wish to discuss these again at your next visit to your eyecare practitioner.

What does this mean for patients who think they are at higher risk of progression of the disease?
Vitamin supplements are generally regarded as safe. They may be helpful but your vision may deteriorate further, even if you take these supplements. Regular visits to your eyecare practitioner are advised. 

What further research would you like to see, and what would this tell us?
It would be good to have a large trial comparing a supplement containing vitamin C, E, lutein, zeaxanthin, and zinc with taking no supplement for people with AMD to see if this slows down progression to visual loss.

• This review has been published alongside a companion AMD review - read both reviews in full here
• Read more about whether taking vitamin supplements helps prevent AMD
• Visit the Cochrane Eyes and Vision website

Monday, July 31, 2017

Latest evidence published in the Cochrane Library suggests that taking vitamin supplements, such as vitamin E or beta-carotene, may not prevent the common eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  

See additional resources at the bottom of this page

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive and sight-threatening disease affecting the central area of the retina and affects large numbers of people across the world. Population-based studies suggest that in older people (80 years and older), approximately one in three people have early signs of the disease.

There are numerous unanswered questions in the prevention of AMD. There has been a growing perception amongst eyecare professionals that taking vitamin supplements - in particular, antioxidant supplements such as lutein and zeaxanthin - may protect patients against the onset of the eye disease.

A team of Cochrane researchers conducted a study to assess whether taking antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements prevents the development of AMD.

They collected and analysed data from five studies involving men and women from Australia, USA, and Finland.

Lead author Jenny Evans from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine explains more:

How important was it to update this Cochrane Review?
This is a topic that is currently of much interest to people in the general population. The review was last updated in 2012 and we knew that there were new studies available.

What did you find?
We found five large studies that compared taking vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and multivitamin with taking a placebo in people in the general population.

People taking these supplements had a similar chance of developing AMD compared with people not taking the supplements. We did not find any relevant studies of lutein and zeaxanthin in the general population.

What does this mean?
If you are healthy, with a healthy diet, and you do not have problems with your eyes, then taking vitamin supplements is not necessary.

How robust is this evidence?
The evidence is robust. The studies were large (more than 75,000 people) and were well conducted. There is an evidence gap for whether or not to take lutein or zeaxanthin to prevent AMD.

What would your message be to eyecare practitioners?
Be aware that there is no evidence that antioxidant supplements prevent AMD.

What would your message be to patients already taking vitamin supplements to prevent AMD? 
The decision as to whether or not to take vitamin supplements is up to you. Vitamin supplements are generally regarded as safe. You may wish to discuss these again at your next visit to your eyecare practitioner. 

What does this mean for patients who think they are at higher risk of contracting the disease?
The decision as to whether or not to take these supplements is up to you. If you choose not to take them, you are unlikely to be putting yourself at greater risk of developing AMD.

What further research would you like to see, and what would this tell us?
It would be good to have a large trial comparing lutein and zeaxanthin with taking no supplement in people who have not yet developed AMD. The aim would be to see whether taking supplements reduces the chance of developing this condition. 

• This review has been published alongside a companion AMD review - read both reviews in full here
• Read more about whether taking vitamin supplements slows down progression of AMD
• Visit the Cochrane Eyes and Vision website

Monday, July 31, 2017

We are delighted to announce the results of the recent elections and appointments to the Governing Board:

Co-Chair:

• Martin Burton has been appointed by the Board as its Co-Chair for a term of two years. Martin served as a member of the Board until this month, and already has substantial leadership experience in Cochrane as Director of Cochrane UK and Co-ordinating Editor of the Cochrane Ear Nose & Throat Review Group. Martin is based in Oxford, UK, and will share chairing duties with Cindy Farquhar, who is Co-ordinating Editor of the Gynaecology and Fertility Review Group, and is based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Two internal members:

The election of internal members of the Governing Board has now concluded, and you have elected the following two candidates for a term of three years:

• Tracey Howe - director of the Cochrane Global Ageing Field and based in Glasgow, UK.
• Joerg Meerpohl - serving Board member who has now been re-elected. Co-Director of Cochrane Germany and based in Freiburg, Germany.

Three external members:

The Board has appointed three external members of the Board for a term of three years:

• Maria Gladys Faba Beaumont - sociologist by training and works with the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico and the Pan American Heath Organization; based in Mexico City
• David Hammerstein Mintz - civil society advocate for the Commons Network, an organization that he co-founded, former Member of the European Parliament and based in Valencia, Spain.
• Rae Lamb - Aged Care Complaints Commissioner for Australia and has a background in health journalism and health services research; based in Melbourne.

Cochrane congratulates and welcomes the new members and extends its grateful thanks to Lisa Bero, outgoing Co-Chair; and Mona Nasser and Denise Thomson, outgoing Board members, for their outstanding contributions to Cochrane as members of the Board.

More information on these election results and appointments and Cochrane’s electoral procedures

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Cochrane and the Guidelines International Network (G-I-N) have been formal partners since 2014. We work together collaboratively to ensure that evidence is both useful and used by people making decisions about health, from individuals to clinicians to international health policy-makers from all over the world.

The latest collaboration between Cochrane and G-I-N is a new release of Cochrane's TaskExchange platform, which extends TaskExchange's remit to include tasks related to developing guidelines.

For more information, please see the full update, including a video presenting the partnership, on the Cochrane Community site.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Specifications: Full Time
Annual Salary: £23,333
Location: London
Application Closing Date: 13th August 2017

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

Working as part of a team, the Administrator will handle a variety of office support tasks such as servicing meetings, making travel arrangements, diary management and maintaining electronic records.  The role also includes dedicated support for our External Affairs team, administering funding applications, maintaining donor reports and managing contact databases.

We are looking for an efficient 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.
• Intermediate level IT skills, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• 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. An understanding of Cochrane’s work and the healthcare charity sector more generally is an advantage, but not essential.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with ‘Administrator’ 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.

Deadline for applications: 13th August (12 midnight GMT)

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

The purpose of consumer involvement in Cochrane

Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professionals, and people interested in health, including healthcare consumers. Cochrane's healthcare consumers are made up from a wide range of people, including patients (or people with personal experience of a healthcare condition), health and social care service users, caregivers and family members. Also included are people who represent or are advocates for patients and carers. What unites them all is their search for high quality, unbiased information about health conditions and treatments.

Consumer involvement is vital to Cochrane’s work as it:

(i)    promotes transparency, accountability and trust in the way that research is produced;
(ii)    results in evidence that addresses consumers’ needs, reduces waste in research, improves the translation of research into policy and practice, and ultimately leads to improved benefits for health systems and outcomes for patients;
(iii)    is consistent with current health research approaches and is expected or mandated by our funders, partners and consumers. 

The value of consumer involvement

Cochrane believes that the benefits of consumer involvement are best realised when consumers contribute throughout the process of production and dissemination of research. Specifically, consumer involvement can contribute to Cochrane’s goals as follows: 

GOAL 1: Producing evidence
Consumers can influence the way research is planned and carried out, including by nominating and helping to prioritise Cochrane review topics; helping to frame research questions and identifying relevant outcome measures; evaluating the impact of evidence; and participating in Citizen Science such as Cochrane Crowd. There is also an opportunity to work alongside researchers and clinicians to co-produce research, including participating as researchers and co-authors.

GOAL 2: Making our evidence accessible
Consumers can comment on systematic reviews, protocols and plain language summaries, ensuring that reviews address questions that are important, relevant and understandable. Consumers can work with authors, Review Groups, Fields and Centres to promote Cochrane evidence and decision making by helping to develop innovative ways of presenting evidence, telling their own stories or speaking on behalf of other patients, and promoting evidence through their networks, partner organisations and social media. 

GOAL 3: Advocating for evidence
Consumers can help promote evidence-based healthcare in general and Cochrane evidence through campaigning, explaining and sharing knowledge about evidence-based practice, research and evidence with other consumers, patient organisations and networks. 

GOAL 4: Building an effective & sustainable organization
Consumers can contribute to the leadership and governance of Cochrane at national and international levels by being part of Review Groups, Fields and Centres, by serving on the Cochrane Council and by putting themselves forward for election to Cochrane’s Governing Board. Consumers can be recruiters, and champions for consumer involvement, as well as mentoring and sharing their knowledge and expertise with other consumers. They can help to develop Cochrane resources and practice, as well as building and sustaining partnerships and alliances with groups that can disseminate and promote Cochrane evidence.

The guiding principles of consumer involvement

Cochrane’s work is based on  its 10 key principles. In addition, consumer involvement in Cochrane will be guided by the following: equity, inclusiveness and partnership.

Equity
Cochrane recognizes that consumers altruistically volunteer their time, experience, knowledge and skills and it acknowledges and values the contribution of consumers equally with all other Cochrane collaborators and members. Equity requires that consumers – as with all collaborators, supporters and members – enjoy similar opportunities for meaningful involvement in Cochrane’s work, clarity of expectation for that work, and adequate support to do that work in the form of effective communication, induction, training, and reimbursement of expenses (where applicable).

Inclusion
Cochrane recognises that consumer involvement is vitally important to the process of governance, and the production and dissemination of Cochrane evidence. Our consumer and membership base should be as representative as possible of the population that Cochrane seeks to serve. Cochrane recognises and respects the diversity of its consumer contributors, values people’s differences in the way they contribute, and acknowledges that promoting an inclusive approach to their involvement means that consumers can contribute to their full potential.

Partnership
Consumer involvement in Cochrane is a key part of the production of Cochrane evidence. It can vary in extent and depth, from reviews which are guided by the contributions of consumers, to those where consumers control aspects of the review in which their lived experiences give them particular expertise (co-production). Consumer involvement adds significant value to reviews and Cochrane seeks to maximise these contributions through active consumer involvement in the governance of the organisation and the entire review and dissemination process.  Cochrane aspires to develop its partnership with consumer volunteers throughout the whole research cycle.
 
Cochrane’s commitment to its contributing consumers

1.    Cochrane will value its consumer volunteers, and recognises that individual consumers want to offer contributions according to their needs, experiences, skills and abilities, language and availability.
2.    Cochrane will strive to be flexible and responsive to encourage a wide variety of levels and types of involvement from individual consumers in all its work.
3.    Cochrane will ensure that its contributing supporters and members, including consumers, are properly welcomed, inducted, trained and supported.
4.    Cochrane will support its contributing authors, Review Groups, Fields, Centres and other entities with resources and learning opportunities to better support consumer involvement.
5.    Cochrane will ensure that consumers’ contributions are properly acknowledged and recognised.
6.    Cochrane will communicate effectively with its consumers, including offering constructive feedback.
7.    Cochrane will aim continually to improve the way that it involves consumers. It will regularly evaluate the effectiveness of its practice, including understanding the consumer experience, leading to the establishment and improvement of standards of consumer involvement.

Learn more about Cochrane's Statement of Principles for Consumer Involvement in Cochrane on the Cochrane Consumers Network website.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Recent injuries in two major sporting events: Wimbledon and the Tour de France. Helen Handoll, Co-ordinating Editor of Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma and Senior Reserarch Fellow at Teeside Univerity, takes a look at sports injuries and evidence. Dr Handoll research interests focus on getting the evidence to inform the management of people with hip, shoulder and wrist fractures, either via primary research or conducting Cochrane systematic reviews.

Reposted with permission from Evidently Cochrane

Wimbledon is upon us – yippee for all tennis fans – and the spectre of sports injury is on Centre Court.  Two matches stopped early for leg injuries, with some grumblings over whether they should have started in the first place. The various pressures on sportsmen and women to play despite injury have been highlighted. Even being on court can be bruising, with one line judge being struck by the ball three times during one match.

More spectacular and badly timed was Mark Cavendish’s crash into a barrier at 60 km/h during the Tour de France. With a broken shoulder, he is now out of the race. This is the same shoulder that Cavendish dislocated at the opening stage of the Tour in 2014, which I blogged about here.

It is now established that Cavendish has suffered a fracture to his scapula, which is an uncommon shoulder fracture. Fortunately, there was no nerve damage and the team doctor announced that surgery would not be required. A picture shows Cavendish sporting an extensive shoulder immobiliser which allows him to rest his shoulder while healing takes place.

The role of surgery for sports injuries

It is good that this essential treatment decision – whether surgery is needed – can be taken so readily in this case. The role of surgery is the focus of several Cochrane reviews of predominantly sports-related musculoskeletal injuries. Examples considered here are collarbone (clavicle) fractures [1], severe ankle sprain (lateral ligament injuries) [2] and ruptures of the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee [3].

Typically for serious injuries, surgery promises better restoration of anatomy, better stability while healing takes place and potentially in the long term, and the prospect of earlier mobilisation and return to function. Especially to athletes, the potential for an earlier return to sport can be a major reason for opting for surgery. However, these aims may not be achieved, and surgery comes at the risk of surgery-related complications, such as infection and extra injuries resulting from the surgery itself.

What about the evidence?

It is dismaying to find that conclusive evidence is not available to inform on or confirm the role of surgery for the types of collarbone fractures or ankle sprains where there is uncertainty about its use. For ACL rupture, there is already a greater onus on surgery that concurs with the strong preference for surgery by athletes and other physically active people. As the Cochrane review on ACL rupture concludes, the research question has shifted from whether surgery is needed soon after injury to one where early ACL reconstruction surgery is compared with a formal option for ACL reconstruction surgery later on if criteria relating to knee instability are met.

Making treatment decisions

Elite athletes such as Cavendish are exceptions and, as well as having an extraordinary level of fitness before their injury, have a team of people advising them about these decisions and helping restoring them to peak condition. Treatment decisions, including surgery, for the rest of us who have sustained these injuries will depend on different factors. Irrespective, it remains important to know where there is reliable evidence and where there is uncertainty in making health choices. And finally to remember that evidence-based decision making is a combination of best available evidence, clinical expertise and patient values and preferences.

References may be found here.

Helen Handoll has nothing to disclose.

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Dementia is the focus of a blog series running throughout July on Evidently Cochrane . Many of us are caring for a family member with dementia, know someone with dementia, or may be looking ahead to our own futures, perhaps wondering what we could do to avoid or delay developing dementia ourselves. There are also many working in health and social care, and numerous third sector organisations, looking after and supporting people with dementia; and researchers working to change the future of dementia. There can’t be very many of us not touched by dementia in some way. 

Take a look at these Evidently Cochrane blog posts featuring Cochrane Review evidence: 

• Dementia in the spotlight: Evidence and Experience. An introduction to the blog series.
• I have dementia and I take part in research. Here’s why.  Patient with young onset dementia writes about taking part in dementia research, being valued, and opportunities to change the future. 
• Rivastigmine reviewed: doubts about dementia drug. Care home nurse reflects on Cochrane evidence on rivastigmine and the use of this drug in practice. 

You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #dementiaspotlight Thursday, July 6, 2017

This year is the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the firstCochranecentre in Spain. It was founded in 1997 as the Spanish Cochrane Centre and was located at the Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí in Sabadell. On 2000,thecentre was renamed as Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre (IbCC) and has continued its activity at its current headquarters in the Hospital de la SantaCreui Sant Pau in Barcelona.

To celebrate this 20years of history, the centrehelda Conference on May, 24thand 25th –within the framework of CIBERESP– to observe the different aspects related to this initiative and to offer training activities. The conference was held in the Casa de Convalescencia, one of the Art Nouveau venues of the hospital, and Mark Wilson participated in the opening of the event together with Jaime Kulisevsky (Director of the Biomedicinal Research Institute Sant Pau), and Xavier Bonfill (Director of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network). The projection of two videos, from Elena Andradas (Director of Public Health, Quality and Innovation, Spanish Ministry of Health) and from a representative of the Spanish Organisation of Consumers and Users, completed the opening.

The topics of the different panel discussions held the first day of the event were “How are the systematic reviews needed today and how can we use them better?”–with the participation of Karla Soares (Deputy Editor in Chief) talking about new horizons of Cochrane reviews–, “Methodological tools to answer research questions”; and several Systematic Reviews experiences.

On May, 25th there were several workshops about GRADE and Systematic Reviews –free under registration– taught by members of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network.

Furthermore, the evening before the Conference, the former and current IbCN staff threw a party to celebrate the anniversary. The event included different types of musical and comedy performances. Some of our former staff members and friends contributed to this lovely evening by sending their greetings via video from all over the world.

• Visit the Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre website

Monday, June 26, 2017

Two new Cochrane Reviews are the last in a series of related systematic reviews summarizing evidence on the effects of different interventions for treating obesity and overweight in childhood and adolescence.

The reviews summarize the results of 114 studies which involved more than 13,000 children and young people. They show that a combination of diet, physical activity, and behavioural change interventions may reduce weight in children aged six to 11 years and in adolescents aged 12 to 17, but there are limitations in the studies and variation in the results.

Childhood and adolescent obesity is one of the leading global public health concerns. Rapid weight gain in children as young as six years old has increased globally, and has significant mental and physical health consequences such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, sleep problems, and low self-esteem. Obesity in childhood and adolescence can persist into adulthood, increasing the risk of poor health in later life.

Both these latest Cochrane Reviews will inform ongoing work by the World Health Organization. The two reviews look at the effects of diet, physical activity, and behavioural interventions in treating children with overweight or obesity from six years old to early adulthood. They are the last two reviews in a series of six that covers surgery, drug therapy, interventions targeting parents only, and lifestyle interventions for children of pre-school age.

The childhood review looks at evidence from 70 studies conducted in over 8,000 six to 11-year-olds from Europe, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Malaysia. Most studies compared behaviour-changing interventions with no treatment or usual care. The majority of trials (65/70) involved both the child and their parents or caregivers.

The quality of the evidence was low but suggests that compared to no treatment or usual care, interventions incorporating combinations of diet, physical activity, and behaviour change may have a small, short-term effect in reducing children’s weight and body mass index-z score (a proxy measure of body fat based on weight in relation to height, sex, and age). The researchers know less about the effects of diet, physical activity, and behaviour change on self-esteem and quality of life, because few of the trials looked at these outcomes. There was a very low occurrence of side effects; two studies reported a small number of side effects, but these were not considered to be related to taking part in the studies.

The review of adolescents found 44 completed studies including just under 5,000 young people with overweight or obesity aged between 12 to 17 years. Fifty additional studies are still ongoing and have not yet reported their results. Most studies assessed the combined effects of diet, physical activity, and behavioural change interventions, but there was variation in the content and duration of the interventions and their delivery, and the comparators used. There was moderate-quality evidence that combinations of diet, physical activity, and behaviour change reduce an adolescent’s weight by about three and a half kilos, and low-quality evidence that these interventions may reduce body mass index by just over one kg/m2. These effects were maintained in longer term trials which lasted for up to two years.  The findings from this review also suggest a moderately improved quality of life, but did not find firm evidence of an advantage or disadvantage for improving young people’s self-esteem, physical activity, and food intake.

The results of the studies varied in both reviews, and the authors looked at possible reasons for this.  However, they could not definitively explain the variation in the results of the studies. They could not find differences in the results when looking at different types of intervention, the setting of the intervention, or whether parents were involved in the interventions. Both reviews highlight the need for more research to explore the variation between the study results more fully.

Dr Emma Mead, who led the six-to-11-year-old review as part of her PhD at the School for Health and Social Care, at Teesside University, UK, says these findings complete a very complex picture on a globally important health topic: “These reviews are important because they provide the most up-to-date evidence to show that behaviour changing interventions can help treat children with overweight and obesity. However, we need to do more work to understand how to maintain the positive effects of the intervention after it has finished, and understand which interventions work best in lower income countries, and for families from different socio-demographic backgrounds.”

Dr Lena Al-Khudairy, Research Fellow from the Division of Health Sciences at the University of Warwick, UK, who led the review of adolescents, said: “Approaches that combine several interventions can be effective to tackle overweight and obesity in teenagers, but we still need to know more about what specific components are most effective and in whom, and importantly learn more about adolescents’ views about the interventions.”

Full citation
Mead E, Brown T, Rees K, Azevedo LB, Whittaker V, Jones D, Olajide J, Mainardi GM, Corpeleijn E, O'Malley C, Beardsmore E, Al-Khudairy L, Baur L, Metzendorf M-I, Demaio A, Ells LJ. Diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions for the treatment of overweight or obese children from the age of 6 to 11 years. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017. Issue 6. Art. No.: CD012651. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012651.pub1

 Al-Khudairy L, Loveman E, Colquitt JL, Mead E, Johnson RE, Fraser H, Olajide J, Murphy M, Velho RM, O'Malley C, Azevedo LB, Ells LJ, Metzendorf M-I, Rees K. Diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions for the treatment of overweight or obese adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017. Issue 6. Art. No.: CD012691. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012691.pub1

 Media spokespeople

Emma Mead
Cochrane Methodologist and Research Associate
Cochrane Skin Group, Centre of Evidence based Dermatology
University of Nottingham
Kind's Meadow Campus
Nottingham
E Emma.Mead@nottingham.ac.uk

Lena Al-Khudairy
Research Fellow
Division of Health Sciences
Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL
UK
E Lena.al-Khudairy@warwick.ac.uk

Clinical spokesperson for the two Cochrane Reviews

Professor Louise Baur
Professor and Head of Child & Adolescent Health
University of Sydney
and
Consultant Paediatrician
Weight Management Services
Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network
Sydney, Australia
E louise.baur@health.nsw.gov.au

Contact: Diane Hanlon diane.hanlon@health.nsw.gov.au

For further information, please contact:

Jo Anthony
Senior Media and Communications Officer
Cochrane
M +44(0) 7582 726 634
E janthony@cochrane.org or pressoffice@cochrane.org

About Cochrane
Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers, and people interested in health.

Cochrane produces reviews which study all of the best available evidence generated through research and make it easier to inform decisions about health. These are called systematic reviews.

Cochrane is a not-for-profit organization with collaborators from more than 130 countries working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest. Our work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high-quality, trusted information.

Find out more at cochrane.org

Follow us on twitter @cochranecollab

If you are a journalist or member of the press and wish to receive news alerts before their online publication or if you wish to arrange an interview with an author, please contact the Cochrane press office: pressoffice@cochrane.org

Thursday, June 22, 2017

A double celebration of Cochrane was organized this year in Croatia where, apart from the annual Croatian Cochrane Symposium, held at the University of Split School of Medicine (UoSSoM) from 9th -10th June, a celebration of Cochrane Croatia’s independent Centre status was held on 8th June to a large crowd of Cochrane supporters, including government officials, health professionals, and students.

On behalf of Cochrane Croatia’s host institution, Prof. Zoran Đogaš, the Dean of the University of Split School of Medicine, gave the opening address at the Centre celebration, expressing his support of Cochrane Croatia’s work, which he confirmed the following day in the signing of the Collaboration Agreement between Cochrane, Cochrane Croatia and UoSSoM. Full support was also offered by the Director of the Croatian Centre for Global Health, Prof. Ozren Polanšek, Assistant Director of the University Hospital in Split, Dr. Anton Marović, representative of the Croatian Medical Chamber, Assist. Prof. Željko Puljiz, the Chancellor of the University of Split, Prof. Šimun Anđelinović and the State Secretary of the Minister of Health, Dr. Željko Plazonić. Letters of support were received from the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia, the Minister of Science and Education, the president of the Croatian Medical Association, and others.

The Croatian Ambassador to Canada from 2005-2010, Ms. Vesela Mrđan Korać, spoke of the diplomacy required to establish collaboration between the University of Split and the University of Ottawa, which led to the foundation of Cochrane Croatia, as well as the important role of Croatian expats in Ottawa, notably family Mamić, in hosting directors of Cochrane Croatia during their study visits to Cochrane Canada. Others who have been instrumental in the foundation of Cochrane Croatia, such as Prof. Matko Marušić, Prof. Livia Puljak, and Assist. Prof. Dario Sambunjak, shared their vision of Cochrane Croatia with all those present. Those who unfortunately couldn’t be present sent heartfelt messages, including, Prof. Peter Tugwell and Jordi Pardo, from Cochrane Canada, Prof. Roberto D’Amico, director of Cochrane Italy, Prof. Žarko Alfirević, from Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth and Prof. Davor Štimac, from Cochrane Hepato-Biliary.

The future of Cochrane Croatia was the focus of the final part of the Centre celebration; hence our main speakers were Mark Wilson, Cochrane’s CEO, Prof. Gerd Antes, Director, Cochrane Germany, and representatives of Cochrane Croatia’s partner organizations. Attendees were entertained by traditional Dalmatian singers and dancers, as well as by the Student Choir of the UoSSoM. The event would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors: Tourist Office of the City of Split, Redak Print Studio, Enter Digital Studio and Radio Sun.

The following day, Mark Wilson opened the 9th Croatian Cochrane Symposium, dedicated to the topic of ‘Evidence based dental medicine’. We were very honoured to have as our main speakers Jan Clarkson, Helen Worthington, and Anne-Marie Glenny from Cochrane Oral Health. The two-day symposium included lectures, workshops, a poster walk and lively interactions, and was attended by participants from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Poland.

Watch a video of the celebration

Irena Zakarija-Grković, Co-Director Cochrane Croatia

 

 

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Associate Professor Julian Elliott from Cochrane Australia in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University has been awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research 2017 at a ceremony in Melbourne last night. The medal is bestowed annually to the top-ranked Career Development Fellowship applicant through the National Health and Medical Research Council.

A Career Development Fellowship (CDF) is a highly competitive, four-year fellowship that supports the most outstanding early- to mid-career health and medical researchers. The medal for best application comes with an additional $50,000 research grant to be used by Associate Professor Elliott on top of his CDF funding.

Associate Professor Elliott’s work focusses on novel systems for translating research into practical healthcare solutions that positively affect patient health and quality of life. He says,“Doing research is not enough. We also need to make sure the findings of research translate into action and improved health – but there is now so much research it is hard for anyone to make sense of this ‘data deluge’. My team and our collaborators are developing and evaluating novel health data systems that make sense of health research and accelerate the translation of research into improved, evidence-based health care.”

Associate Professor Elliott’s work focusses on methods and systems to successfully gather, process and meta-analyse all research data relevant to a particular health question. This includes the development of ‘living’ systematic reviews – high quality summaries of research that are updated whenever new research is produced. These systems incorporate text mining, artificial intelligence, online software platforms, and ‘citizen science’.

For example, Covidence is a software platform that is used around the world to produce systematic reviews; and Cochrane Crowd is a citizen science platform with over 5,000 members. This platform has demonstrated that given appropriate training, members of the public can accurately identify scientific research papers that can be incorporated into systematic reviews. Such reviews often inform critical government funding and approval decisions.

“As an HIV physician at the Alfred Hospital I know the challenges of delivering health care that is based on the best possible research evidence. Using new technologies and ways of collaborating we are working to make that easier. My previous research shows it is possible to use the power of motivated communities to speed up science and I hope to build on this through my Fellowship.”

The Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award was initiated in 2000. Associate Professor Elliott’s application was the top-ranked application of 452 applicants, of which 60 were funded. Monash University submitted 41 applications of which five were funded in total. Associate Professor Elliott says,“I’m incredibly honoured to receive this award given the extraordinary talent and experience of my fellow applicants. I hope the work arising from it will result in real improvements in the ways research can be translated into better health.”

NHMRC General Manager Tony Kingdon said Associate Professor Elliott’s research achievements make him a highly worthy recipient of the award.“It is a privilege to honour the achievements of an exceptional researcher whose work is making a significant contribution to our understanding of how we can improve the speed and accuracy of translating research into practical outcomes. I congratulate Associate Professor Elliott on this award.” 

Associate Professor Elliott has over 90 publications including papers in leading scientific journals such as Nature, Lancet and PLOS Medicine. In the last five years he has been a chief investigator on 20 grants totalling over $8million.

Media contact: Julia Veitch (03) 9903 0026 / 0438 856 481
Associate Professor Elliott is available for comment
Mr Tony Kingdon is available for comment

Thursday, June 15, 2017

The 2016 Journal Citation Report (JCR) has just been released by Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson ISI), and we are pleased to announce that Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) Impact Factor is now 6.124.

This is a slight increase on the 2015 impact factor, which was 6.103.

The CDSR impact factor is calculated by taking the total number of citations in a given year to all Cochrane Reviews published in the past 2 years, and dividing that number by the total number of Reviews published in the past 2 years. It is a useful metric for measuring the strength of a journal by how often it its publications are cited in scholarly articles.

Some highlights of the CDSR 2016 Impact Factor include:

• The CDSR is ranked 14 of the 154 journals in the Medicine, General & Internal category.
• The CDSR received 57,740 cites in the 2016 Impact Factor period, compared with 47,899 for the 2015 Impact Factor calculation.
• The total number of times the CDSR was cited increased from 47,899 in 2015 to 57,740 in 2015 meaning the CDSR received the 5th highest number of citations in its category.
• The 5-Year Impact Factor is 7.018.

The main Impact Factor report and the CRG reports will be delivered after the JCR is updated in September. This is because, as has happened in previous years, Clarivate was unable to accurately index Cochrane Reviews for this Impact Factor window; Wiley and Cochrane are following-up with Clarivate regarding the calculation of the 2016 impact factor. 

More information is available here on how the CDSR Impact Factor is calculated.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

“This generation, our generation of people who benefited, must always be the pioneers who look to younger people and say mediocrity is not accommodated in what we do.” 

Trevor Manuel, who served in the South African government as Minister of Finance from 1996 to 2009, during the presidencies of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe, and subsequently as Minister in the Presidency under President Jacob Zuma, will be the first plenary speaker at the Global Evidence Summit.

Trevor Manuel will address the Summit in the opening Plenary on Wednesday 13 September, 9am-10.30am.

During his two decades as a Cabinet Minister, Trevor Manuel also served as a Member of Parliament, representing the African National Congress.

His career highlights include major social and economic developments within the South African economy. As Minister of Trade and Industry, he led the process of reintegrating South Africa into the global economy after decades of sanctions and disinvestment. He introduced extensive support measures for small, medium and micro-enterprises to boost local economic development and grow business enterprise.

As Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, he also oversaw the drafting of the broadly-accepted and first National Development Plan for the country.

Mr Manual has held leadership positions within a several international bodies, including the United Nations Commission for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the G20, the African Development Bank and the Southern African Development Community.

He has been internationally recognized for his accomplishments within social and economic development, and holds eight honorary doctorates from South African tertiary institutions in a range of disciplines including Commerce, Law and Technology as well as a Doctor of Laws from McMaster University, Ontario Canada.

Currently, he is an Honorary Professor in the School of Development Policy & Practice at the University of Cape Town where he is also a Senior Political Fellow, and Professor Extraordinaire at the University of Johannesburg.

Find out more about all our plenary speakers here.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Cochrane, a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health, is proud to announce its newest Associate Centre, Cochrane Iran.

The Cochrane Iran Associate Centre is located in the city of Tehran, within the National Institute for Medical Research Development (NIMAD) of the Islamic Republic of Iran. NIMAD is a national public granting body for medical research, which is under supervision of Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) of Iran.

Cochrane Iran will promote evidence-based decision making in health care across Iran by supporting and training new authors of Cochrane Reviews, as well as working with clinicians, professional associations, policy-makers, patients, and the media to encourage the dissemination and use of Cochrane evidence.

Professor Hassan Hashemi, the Iranian Minister of Health and Medical Education, who gave an inaugural speech at the launch of 'Cochrane Iran Associate Centre' says it is a great opportunity for Iranian researchers to have more direct contributions in order to produce and disseminate Cochrane knowledge: "I believe that this centre will be a cornerstone to advocate evidence-informed practice in Iran, in the region and beyond, given that thousands of young talented Iranian scientists are always present and being generated across the country. This formal Cochrane presence in IR Iran will help spread the messages of the Cochrane Collaboration.”

Professor Reza Malekzadeh, Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology at MoHME and Director of NIMAD says, “We are very proud of having a Cochrane Centre in Iran. We now have the opportunity to make Cochrane evidence accessible and useful to Iranian.  This center will certainly become the leading advocate for evidence-informed health care in Iran.”

Cochrane works with collaborators from more than 130 countries 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.
Cochrane Iran will be co-ordinated and led by its new Associate Centre Director, Professor Ali-Akbar Haghdoost and Co-Director Dr. Bita Mesgarpour, who will offer methodological support, mentoring, and supervision. Professor Ali-Akbar Haghdoost says this is a hugely exciting opportunity, “The launch of Cochrane Iran is very important, both to Iran and its neighbouring regions. Producing and increasing the dissemination of the best available information on health care is critical for clinicians and patients everywhere in the world, including Iran.”

Cochrane’s CEO Mark Wilson, welcomed today’s news, “I am delighted we are announcing the launch of Cochrane Iran, which will deepen and expand the scope, reach, and impact of Cochrane activities in Iran. I’m grateful for the outstanding support from NIMAD for this new Associate Centre, which brings together both those who have been involved in Cochrane activities for many years with new collaborators across the country. Iran is a regional leader in scientific research; and I’m sure that Cochrane Iran will help Iranian researchers, clinicians and policy makers to produce and use synthesized evidence which is so important for effective outcomes in health decision-making.”

•  Vist the Cochrane Iran website
• Follow Cochrane Iran on Telgram at CochraneIran

--END--

For further information about Cochrane Iran, please contact:
Dr. Bita Mesgarpour
Co-Director of Cochrane Iran
M +98(21)66900920  E info@cochrane.ir

 For more infromation about Cochrane, please contact:
Jo Anthony
Senior Media and Communications Manager, Cochrane 
M +44(0) 7582 726 634 E janthony@cochrane.org or pressoffice@cochrane.org

If you are a journalist or member of the press and wish to receive news alerts before their online publication or if you wish to arrange an interview with an author, please contact the Cochrane press office: pressoffice@cochrane.org

Friday, June 9, 2017

Specifications: Part Time/ 3 days pw
Salary: Competitive
Location: London
Application Closing Date: 7 July 2017

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

As the organisation’s sole manager for contracts, the Senior Contracts Specialist will take the leading role in the implementation and maintenance of an effective contracts service for a portfolio with a range of complexity and requirements. They will provide operational contract management, developing solutions which reduce legal liability and risk and provide optimal terms for Cochrane.

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:

• Higher education to degree level, or equivalent, or substantial relevant experience.
• Experience of contracts management within the Higher Education, health research, charity, and/or publishing sectors.
• Knowledge of contract and intellectual property laws (particularly related to the UK).
• Experience, ability and mindset to work as the sole contracts manager for the organisation.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Proven ability to understand, interpret, apply and develop policies and procedures.
• Ability to quickly gain an understanding of Cochrane’s operational context, activities and arrangements with contractual partners and apply these to delivery.
• The ability to use judgement, initiative and creativity to identify and solve complex problems.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills including proven ability to organise and prioritise workload, work efficiently and meet tight deadlines.                                                                                                                                                                                        

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 Senior Contracts Specialist 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.

Deadline for applications: 12 midnight GMT, 7 July 2017

Wednesday, June 7, 2017 Category: Jobs

Cochrane is delighted to announce that Cochrane Croatia has been recognized for its outstanding achievements in promoting evidence-based decision-making in health care by being awarded full, independent Centre status.

The Centre consists of longstanding, dedicated Cochrane enthusiasts located at the University of Split School of Medicine, where it is part of the Croatian Centre for Global Health.

Cochrane Croatia will continue to promote evidence-based decision making in health care in Croatia and the region by supporting and training new authors of Cochrane Reviews, as well as working with clinicians, professional associations, policy-makers, patients, and the media to encourage the dissemination and use of Cochrane evidence.

Cochrane Croatia has been part of Cochrane since 2008 when it was established as a Branch of the Italian Cochrane Centre. Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers, and people interested in health. Cochrane works with collaborators from more than 130 countries 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.

Cochrane Croatia will be co-ordinated and led by Drs Irena Zakarija-Grković and Tina Poklepović Peričić, who, together with their team, will offer methodological support, mentoring, and supervision to Cochrane members from the whole region.

Co- Director of Cochrane Croatia, Dr Irena Zakarija-Grković, says this is a hugely exciting opportunity: “The launch of Cochrane Croatia as a full Centre is very important, to Croatia, Europe and globally. Producing and increasing the dissemination of the best available information on health care is critical for clinicians and patients everywhere in the world, including in South-Eastern Europe.”

Cochrane’s CEO Mark Wilson, welcomed today’s news, “I am delighted we are announcing the launch of Cochrane Croatia as a full Centre, the highest recognition of a Cochrane Group. Cochrane Croatia is one of the most energetic within the Cochrane world. Their impact in dissemination, knowledge transfer, combined with their continued development of Cochrane authors has been outstanding. Thanks to the growing base of our collaborators from the University of Split, we’re delighted to recognize the achievements of Cochrane Croatia, and now welcome them as  one of 17 Cochrane Centres internationally, committed to the fullest range of Cochrane activities.”  

He added, “The work of Dr Irena Zakarija-Grković and her team will deepen and expand the scope, reach, and impact of Cochrane activities on health and healthcare decision making not only in Croatia but throughout the region. There are already groups in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina inspired by the work of Cochrane Croatia and looking to join Cochrane. Cochrane Croatia will promote recognition of studies conducted and published in Croatia and the region, and this will not only increase the access of evidence, but also promote sharing of clinical experiences across the country, and the world, especially given Cochrane Croatia’s active role in the translation of Cochrane evidence.”

 “This is an excellent opportunity for scientific growth and gives us the chance to train students and a future generation that will develop high-quality research. Our chance to support health professionals in improving their decision making based on the best available evidence will support patient care.” Tina Poklepović Peričić, Cochrane Croatia’s Co-Director, concluded, “This is an innovation for our region and we intend to collaborate in the dissemination of Cochrane Reviews and to continue supporting Cochrane to reach its 2020 strategic objectives.”

For more information on the work of Cochrane Croatia, please visit the Centre's website.

--END--

For further information, please contact:

Jo Anthony
Senior Media and Communications Manager, Cochrane
M +44(0) 7582 726 634 E janthony@cochrane.org or pressoffice@cochrane.org

About Cochrane
Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health.

Cochrane produces reviews which study all of the best available evidence generated through research and make it easier to inform decisions about health. These are called systematic reviews.

Cochrane is a not-for-profit organization with collaborators from more than 130 countries working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest. Our work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high-quality, trusted information.

Find out more at cochrane.org

Follow us on twitter @cochranecollab

If you are a journalist or member of the press and wish to receive news alerts before their online publication or if you wish to arrange an interview with an author, please contact the Cochrane press office: pressoffice@cochrane.org

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Professor Álvaro Atallah, founding Director of Cochrane Brazil, has received the Medal of the Order of Merit from the Public Ministry of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT). Professor Atallah is head of the Evidence-Based Medicine and Urinary Medicine Unit at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp). The Order is awarded every two years in recognition of exemplary service for the benefit of society.

Please join us in congratulating Professor Atallah and Cochrane Brazil on receiving this honour.

• Cochrane Brazil website
  
• News item in Portuguese

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Vivli, the Center for Global Clinical Research Data, is seeking an Executive Director.

The Vivli Executive Director (ED) is the key management and operations leader of Vivli, Inc. The Executive
Director position reports directly to the Board of Directors and will work with the Board to execute the
organization’s strategic mission and vision. The ED has overall strategic and operational responsibility for the
administration, programs, staff, alliances and plan for the organization. Key duties include strategic direction
and oversight, fundraising, marketing and advocacy for the organization’s mission.

For more information on the position and how to apply, please see the full job posting.

Monday, June 5, 2017 Category: Jobs