Early bird registration has been extended for the 2023 Cochrane Colloquium. Register by Wednesday 7 June 2023 to get the reduced early bird rate

You can register for the Cochrane Colloquium, which will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) Centre in London from 4th to 6th September 2023, with Satellite events on 3rd September.

The Colloquium is an annual event for everyone with an interest in the use of evidence in healthcare decision making including those engaged in evidence production, co-production, dissemination, implementation, and policy making, as well as those making individual healthcare decisions.

This year’s theme is ‘Forward together for trusted evidence’. It will explore the challenges for the future around the trustworthiness of healthcare data and information whilst also celebrating 30 years of producing trusted evidence. 

You can explore the programme here and the list of plenary speakers here – with more to be added.

Students, healthcare consumers, and people from low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income economies (LMIC) are eligible for a reduced rate.

Satellite events:

 On Sunday 3rd September, there are three satellite events taking place at the Colloquium venue that you may also like to register for:

• 2023 Cochrane Methods Symposium
• GRADE-CERQual event
• Putting evidence into practice: an event for students and healthcare professionals

 Find out more about these satellite events, including how to register, here.

Register today:

• Register here
• Registration fees – reduced early bird rate now ends on 07 June 2023
• Registration terms and conditions

Further information:

• Colloquium website 
• #CochraneLondon
• Press contact: Katie Abbotts, Cochrane UK
• Sign up for newsletter updates

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Introducing "Las claves de la evidencia en salud" by Cochrane Iberoamerica—a dynamic Spanish course that delves into evidence-based healthcare, clinical trials, and Cochrane evidence. Designed for healthcare consumers (patients, care givers, family members), policy makers, and the healthcare team, this interactive course offers five modules, each estimated to take 30-40 minutes to complete. Best of all, it's completely free with a Cochrane account (registration for Cochrane account is also free).

The course offers interactive learning with reading materials, videos, quizzes, and other assessments. It follows the personal journey of 'Elena,' a fictional consumer, but participants can explore modules freely. It has been co-produced by healthcare consumers, researchers, and Cochrane specialists. The original English version, "Evidence Essentials", was translated and adapted by the Iberoamerican Cochrane Center.

"We are convinced that this course is a relevant and user-friendly contribution to disseminate to the Spanish-speaking public how we know if a treatment works and what is the process to generate scientific evidence for health care. At the Iberoamerican Cochrane Center we translate all Cochrane systematic reviews into Spanish and this new course in Spanish is an ideal addition to improve the use of all this evidence in health care", says Gerard Urrútia, director of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Center and the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network.

"We'll promote it in Spain and the 18 countries of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network to enhance understanding of evidence in health," adds Urrútia. "It targets healthcare users and professionals, complementing other resources we provide."



"We are going to disseminate this course in Spain and in the other 18 countries that are part of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network as a first gateway to learning the key elements of evidence in health," adds Urrútia. "Our target audience is not only health care users, but also all those who are not familiar with systematic reviews and need to make healthcare decisions, including healthcare professionals. These modules will also support the numerous resources and dissemination activities that we produce for the Spanish-speaking public, such as Nutrimedia or Cochrane responde."

Check out this free online resource in Spanish or the other three languages today! 

• Evidence Essentials
• Las claves de la evidencia en salud
• Evidenz verstehen - ein Onlinekurs von Cochrane
• Основы Доказательств Кокрейн

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Monday, May 22, 2023

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Hyeong Sik Ahn, Director of Cochrane Korea, Professor at the Department of Preventive Medicine, and former Dean of the Graduate School of Public Health at Korea University.

Professor Ahn's enduring relationship with Cochrane, spanning over twenty years, began when he attended his first Cochrane Colloquium in 2002. This initial gathering in Norway fueled his determination to introduce Cochrane principles in Korea. In 2007, Professor Ahn led the establishment of the Korean Branch of the Australasian Cochrane Center. Two years later, Cochrane Korea was officially inaugurated at Korea University as a geographical group of Cochrane.

Beyond his Cochrane-related activities, Professor Ahn organized the 8th Guidelines International Network Conference in the summer of 2011, themed "Linking Evidence, Policy, and Practice," marking the first time the conference was held in Asia. In 2014, he authored an influential article published in the New England Journal of Medicine titled "Korea's Thyroid Cancer 'Epidemic' – Screening and Overdiagnosis." This article highlighted Professor Ahn's determination to address overdiagnosis, particularly within the Korean healthcare system.

One of the highlights of Professor Ahn's academic career was hosting the 24th Cochrane Colloquium in the fall of 2016 in Seoul, where colleagues and researchers from around the world gathered for a successful conference that the Cochrane Korea team fondly remembers. In 2015, he spearheaded the implementation of the Choosing Wisely Korea campaign, aimed at reducing unnecessary medical tests and treatments in the country. By 2022, the campaign had gained endorsement from twenty-seven Korean medical societies.

"Professor Ahn played a pivotal role in establishing Evidence-Based Medicine in Korea," says Catherine Spencer, CEO of Cochrane. "To the fortunate students and colleagues who knew him, his passing represents an immeasurable loss. He will be deeply missed."

Professor Hyun Jung Kim, who served as co-director alongside Professor Ahn, will now assume the role of Director of Cochrane Korea, carrying forward Professor Ahn's inspiring legacy.

• Visit the Cochrane Korea website

 

 

 

Friday, May 19, 2023

Cochrane, a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers, and health enthusiasts, proudly announces the publication of its latest Special Collection titled "Cochrane at 30: what our 30th year can tell us about the future." 

In an era where access to health evidence has expanded, the risk of misinterpreting complex content has grown, while the likelihood of individuals obtaining a comprehensive and balanced understanding has diminished. Cochrane's role in providing accessible, credible information to support informed decision-making has never been more critical in improving global health.

At the heart of Cochrane's mission is the collaborative production of trustworthy health information devoid of commercial sponsorship and conflicts of interest. This commitment enables the generation of authoritative and reliable evidence, unconstrained by commercial and financial interests. Cochrane's systematic reviews, which gather and analyze the best available evidence, are recognized globally as the gold standard for reliable and high-quality information.

The need for Cochrane's work is even greater than it was when we started in 1993. In an era where access to health evidence has expanded, the risk of misinterpreting complex content has grown, while the likelihood of individuals obtaining a comprehensive and balanced understanding has diminished. Cochrane's role in providing accessible, credible information to support informed decision-making has never been more critical in improving global health.

To commemorate Cochrane's 30th anniversary, we have curated a collection of Cochrane Reviews that exemplify the enduring mission and innovative approaches taken by our organization. This special collection underscores the future of Cochrane, built upon its rich history of methodological diversity and unwavering dedication to meeting user needs.

• View the Cochrane Library Special Collection

 

 

Friday, May 19, 2023

Specifications: Permanent – Full Time (Hybrid Role, 3 days office and 2 days WFH)
Salary: £55,257 (Paid in DKK, as per market exchange rate) per annum
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Directorate: Publishing & Technology
Closing date: 7 June 2023

Cochrane is an international charity. For 30 years we have responded to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesising research findings and our work has been recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters around the world. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into five directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

As development team lead, you will manage an Agile/Scrum software development team (3 developers, 1 test engineer) who develop web applications that accelerate the production of systematic reviews of health evidence. You will support the team in their work, coordinate with product owners on timelines, and contribute to software testing within the team as needed to ensure sprint goals are met.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Our organization is built on four core values: Collaboration: Underpins everting we do, locally and globally. Relevant: The right evidence at the right time in the right format. Integrity: Independent and transparent. Quality: Reviewing and improving what we do, maintaining rigour and trust.  

You can expect:  

• An opportunity to truly impact health globally  
• A flexible work environment  
• A comprehensive onboarding experiences
• An environment where people feel welcome, heard, and included, regardless of their differences

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here.
• The deadline to receive your application is 7 June 2023.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples. 
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 Category: Jobs

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Stroke, heart disease, hypertension and peripheral vascular diseases are leading global causes of mortality and morbidity. As the population ages and these conditions become more common in low-income countries, the need for an integrated response has become increasingly clear.

The new Heart, Stroke and Circulation Thematic Group aims to bring together experts from across all four topics to foster collaboration between researchers in different fields while providing comprehensive reviews on cutting-edge topics related to stroke, heart disease, hypertension, and peripheral vascular diseases. 

A collaborative effort

Through this collaborative effort, it is hoped that progress toward a better understanding of these conditions can be accelerated while also providing improved patient care.

The Heart, Stroke and Circulation Group has 708 relevant Cochrane reviews; 216 of which have been used over 1,000 times each and some of which have been used over 5,000 times. 

Professor Mead explained: “Multimorbidity prevalence will increase with an ageing global population and we know that different vascular diseases coexist in the same person. We hope that through our new thematic group, we will be able collective expertise and knowledge, create more comprehensive reviews, which will be of benefit to patients living with vascular disease, and also those making treatment and policy decisions in this area.”

Covering a broader range of topics in greater depth

As populations age and these conditions become more prevalent in low-income countries, the need to work together becomes increasingly important. 

This new thematic group was formed to reduce topic overlap between the four areas of research and to improve time-to-publication by sharing collective expertise and knowledge and collaborating with experts around the world. By combining forces, they will be able to provide reviews that cover a broad range of topics with greater depth. The aim is to benefit experts looking for information but, equally as importantly, patients who may have a combination of diseases or issues that cross over between multiple disciplines. 

Alex Todhunter-Brown continues: "Management of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and peripheral vascular diseases is a global challenge that requires an integrated approach. The Heart, Stroke and Circulation Thematic Group is an alliance of experts, united by a common goal to generate evidence to support the best ways of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of these conditions. Our goal is to improve outcomes for people with these conditions – we can do this by ensuring that we have robust, reliable evidence about effective treatments and rehabilitation strategies. Working together, we can make a difference to people affected by heart, stroke and circulation problems."

• Learn more about Cochrane Heart, Stroke and Circulation and get involved

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

  Characterised by close collaboration and cross-disciplinary expertise, Cochrane’s new Person-Centred Care, Health Systems and Public Health Thematic Group is led by Rebecca Ryan (CCC, La Trobe University Australia), Luke Wolfenden (CPH, University of Newcastle, Australia), Simon Lewin (EPOC, Norwegian University of Science and Technology) and Sasha Shepperd (EPOC, University of Oxford), the new Group has its sights set on bringing quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods expertise to evidence applied across diverse clinical areas, populations and contexts.   ‘We know the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight the interconnectedness between health and public health systems and personal, social and environmental contexts,’ Rebecca Ryan explains. ‘But to date Cochrane hasn’t been well placed to engage with this cross-cutting agenda. Establishing this Thematic Group offers a really timely and promising opportunity to begin doing so. We are really looking forward to working together on this.’

‘With our longstanding shared interests in methods, topics and complex reviews, we have enjoyed the benefits of close collaboration for many years. We now want to enable Cochrane to take forward evidence syntheses that span these complex areas and contribute to the delivery of the SDGs and improvement of global health outcomes.’

‘Working more closely as a coordinated Thematic Group will enable cross-cutting priority topics to be identified, along with overlapping areas where research waste might be reduced. There will also be scope to explore effective and efficient ways of providing content input through new Evidence Synthesis Units and the Central Editorial Service. There are so many possibilities.’

Person-Centred Care

Person-centred approaches are a key part of ensuring that health and public health systems interventions, and their implementation strategies, meet the needs of patients, family members, carers and other stakeholders by identifying priority topics and outcomes that are mutually beneficial.

‘Person-centred approaches can lead to more sustainable and resilient services and systems that are better able to meet individual and community needs. They promote engagement, empowerment and equity and are increasingly recognised as necessary for safe, high-performing health systems,’ Rebecca says. ‘There are many examples of improvements where health and public health systems have adopted a person- centred approach. On the other hand, when health care organisation and delivery is less focused on people we know the outcomes can be dire – for example leading to antibiotic resistance due to poor prescribing , increased medication errors, fragmented care and risks to patient safety, increased maternal mortality, and inappropriate and unresponsive end of life care.’

Bringing together evidence on person-centred care and evidence from the fields of health and public health systems will contribute to ensuring that Cochrane evidence addresses these critical issues and meets the needs of diverse communities around the world.’

Health Systems and Public Health

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the urgent need for resilient health and public health systems that effectively engage people within and across communities. In response, the Person-Centred Care, Health Systems and Public Health Thematic Group will support the integration of evidence-based interventions into health and public health systems to improve outcomes for patients and communities globally. To do so, the Group will draw on a range of disciplines including health services research, behavioral and implementation sciences, stakeholder engagement and participatory methods, qualitative research, and quality improvement.

‘A health system includes the policies, organizations and activities that have the primary purpose of promoting, restoring or maintaining the health and wellbeing of individuals and the public,’ Rebecca explains. ‘They are complex structures spanning local, national and global contexts and involve a multiplicity of delivery platforms – so for example health facilities of all sorts, schools, communities and households - and an even wider range of service users and other stakeholders.’

‘We know interventions focused on health and public health systems can have substantial effects on peoples’ lives. We need high quality evidence to identify effective health or public health policies, programmes and services and maximise their benefits. We also need evidence-based strategies to support their implementation in feasible ways that meet the needs of consumers and key stakeholders.’

Global scope, focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)

Collectively, this new Thematic Group brings over two decades of substantial experience working with LMIC-based partners to identify priority topics, conduct syntheses, disseminate key findings and strengthen capacity.

‘We look forward to building on the strong representation of LMIC-based editors and other partners in the months and years ahead,’ says EPOC’s Simon Lewin. ‘For example, our group currently has five LMIC-based editors and associate editors. We also have a number of strategies in place that will help to ensure we support the development and use of evidence relevant to LMICs. Our Internal Reference Group and International Advisory Panel will include strong participation from LMIC-based partners, and we will work closely with LMIC-based Cochrane geographic entities, several of which have expressed support for this Thematic Group.’

‘We also look forward to engaging with key organisations, such as the WHO HQ and relevant WHO regional offices, to identify priority synthesis topics for LMIC settings. Our knowledge translation approach will consistently consider ways of reaching LMIC-based policy users and other stakeholders.’

Next steps

‘As one of the first Thematic Groups, we plan to dedicate time to engaging with the wider Cochrane community to understand our role and set priorities that align with important global health topics’, Rebecca says. ‘We will also build on our relationships with funders across our geographic contexts and topic areas to explore funding opportunities and options.’‘We have a real interest in further developing and extending our methods of working with consumers and other stakeholders so that we can build expertise and capacity in a wider range of approaches and activities. Activities include active involvement in priority setting for research and review topics, community engagement to inform sharing of research findings directly with policymakers, and co-production of research including co-authoring Cochrane reviews. We intend that these kinds of activities will continue, alongside new and evolving opportunities to contribute to Cochrane and evidence synthesis activities.

• Learn more about Person Centred Care, Health Systems and Public Health and get involved

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

• Largest ever investigation into antidepressants used for chronic pain shows insufficient evidence to determine how effective or harmful they may be.
• Study reviewed commonly prescribed medications including amitriptyline, duloxetine, fluoxetine, citalopram, paroxetine, and sertraline.
• One third of people globally are living with long-term pain with many prescribed antidepressants to relieve symptoms.

Most antidepressants used for chronic pain are being prescribed with “insufficient” evidence of their effectiveness, scientists have warned.

A major investigation into medications used to manage long-term pain found that harms of many of the commonly recommended drugs have not been well studied.

The Cochrane review, led by scientists from several UK universities including Southampton and Newcastle, examined 176 trials consisting of nearly 30,000 patients involved in assessments which prescribed antidepressants for chronic pain.

Among the drugs studied were amitriptyline, fluoxetine, citalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, and duloxetine – with only the latter showing reliable evidence for pain relief. One third of people globally are living with chronic pain, World Health Organisation data shows, with many prescribed antidepressants for relieving symptoms.

Lead author Professor Tamar Pincus from the University of Southampton said: “This is a global public health concern. Chronic pain is a problem for millions who are prescribed antidepressants without sufficient scientific proof they help, nor an understanding of the long-term impact on health.

“Our review found no reliable evidence for the long-term efficacy of any antidepressant, and no reliable evidence for their safety for chronic pain at any point. Though we did find that duloxetine provided short-term pain relief for patients we studied, we remain concerned about its possible long-term harm due to the gaps in current evidence.”

Amitriptyline is one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants for pain management worldwide. In the last 12 months, around ten million prescriptions were given to patients in England at the 10mg dose recommended for pain. By comparison, five million prescriptions were given at the higher doses recommended for depression.

For duloxetine, three and a half million prescriptions were dispensed in England, but the recommended doses do not currently differ between conditions.

The two-year Cochrane study was the largest ever assessment of antidepressants recommended by leading bodies including the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA.

Statistician Gavin Stewart, review co-author from Newcastle University, said: “We are calling on governing health bodies NICE and the FDA to update their guidelines to reflect the new scientific evidence, and on funders to stop supporting small and flawed trials. Evidence synthesis is often complex and nuanced but the evidence underpinning the use of these treatments is not equivalent, so current treatment modalities are hard to justify.”

The review revealed that duloxetine was consistently the highest-rated medication and was equally as effective for fibromyalgia, musculoskeletal, and neuropathic pain conditions.

Other results showed:

• Standard doses of duloxetine are as successful for reducing pain as higher quantities.
• Milnacipran was also effective at reducing pain, but scientists are not as confident as duloxetine due to fewer studies with fewer people.

Prof Tamar Pincus added: “We simply cannot tell about other antidepressants because sufficiently good studies are not available – but it does not mean that people should stop taking prescribed medication without consulting their GP.”

Scientists responsible for the review, funded by the NIHR’s Health Technology Assessment programme, were from the universities of Southampton, Newcastle, Bristol, UCL, Bath, and Keele, alongside Oxford University Hospital.

The team assessed the trials using a statistical method that enables researchers to combine data from relevant studies to estimate the effects of different drugs, which have not been compared directly in individual trials.

University of Southampton researcher Dr Hollie Birkinshaw said: “Though previous investigations show that some antidepressants might relieve pain, there has never been a comprehensive study examining all medications across all chronic conditions – until now.

“The only reliable evidence is for duloxetine. Adopting a person-centred approach is critical to treatment and, when patients and clinicians decide together to try antidepressants, they should start from the drug for which there is good evidence.”

• Read the plain language summary and full Cochrane Review

Birkinshaw H, Friedrich CM, Cole P, Eccleston C, Serfaty M, Stewart G, White S, Moore RA, Phillippo D, Pincus T. Antidepressants for pain management in adults with chronic pain: a network meta‐analysis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 5. Art. No.: CD014682. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD014682.pub2.

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

A  full-time position as a Postdoc is vacant at Cochrane Denmark and at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Odense (CEBMO), Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark (SDU).

Apply by 1 July 2023

The position is limited to two years with the possibility of extension by up to a maximum of two years, starting in September 2023 (negotiable).

The position involves research (50%), pre-graduate and postgraduate guidance and teaching (40%) and administration (10%).

Research tasks
The position as a postdoc consists of research, teaching, professional development, and guidance in Evidence-Based Medicine.

The centre’s main research topics are bias in clinical research, conflicts of interest, de-implementation, and medical devices. The centre is responsible for a pre-graduate course in evidence-based medicine for medical students, and postgraduate courses (e.g., PhD courses). Furthermore, the centre supports Cochrane authors and runs a methodological consultancy service for clinical researchers, e.g., when conducting systematic reviews.

We expect you to have a relevant academic degree (PhD level) and a research interest in evidence-based medicine and clinical research methodology.

The post involves responsibility for a primary project on exploring the concept of minimally relevant degree of bias in randomized trials.

Expectations of qualifications
The applicant must have a Ph.D.-degree and documented research experience in one or more of the following areas/fields:

• Evidence-based medicine
• Research methodology
• Clinical minimally relevant difference
• Meta-epidemiology

Potential applicants must be postdoc-qualified in accordance with Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.

Contact
For further information please contact the Head of Centre, OUH/SDU, Asbjørn Hróbjartsson, phone 24792553/ e-mail: ahrobjartsson@health.sdu.dk or the Head of  the Department of Clinical Research Kirsten Ohm Kyvik, phone: 6011 3046/ e-mail: KKyvik@health.sdu.dk

Conditions of employment
The Recruitment/Hiring takes place in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Central Organisation of the Academics.

Assessment of applicant will be done in accordance with the current/applicable university recruitment order. Applicants will be assessed by an expert committee, and applicant will be informed of their assessment by the university.

Applications – including the required attachments – must be sent electronically via the below-mentioned link “Apply online". Only online applications will be accepted and assessed. Attached files must be Adobe PDF or Word format. Each field in the application form can contain up to max. 10 MB.

Only applications written in English will be accepted for evaluation.

The application must include (as PDF- or docx-files):

• A motivation letter
• A CV
• Copies of certificates/diplomas including evidence of acquisition of a PhD degree or equivalent
• A complete and numbered list of publications
• The 3 scientific, peer-reviewed publications that the applicant wishes to be included in the assessment of his or her scientific qualifications. (Please note that one PDF or docx file must be attached for each publication).
• A research plan
• A teaching portfolio
• An explanation of other qualifications relevant to the position.

Incomplete applications, which do not meet the above-mentioned requirements, will not be assessed.

See also the faculty's guidance for applicants at the link below.

Applications may be shortlisted

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Living and working in Denmark
Foreign applicants will be offered Danish language training as part of the employment. The International Staff Office (ISO) at SDU provides a variety of services for new employees, guests and people who are considering applying for a job at the University of Southern Denmark. Among other things, the staff answers questions concerning salary, taxation, housing and accompanying family.

Further Details

• Guide for applicants
• Apply by 1 July 2023

Tuesday, May 9, 2023 Category: Jobs

The Cochrane Colloquium is a premier event for those interested in evidence-based healthcare decision-making. It brings together individuals involved in evidence production, dissemination, implementation, and policy-making, as well as those making individual healthcare decisions. The 2023 Cochrane Colloquium will take place in London, UK from 4th to 6th of September 2023, with satellite events on 3rd of September. Registration is now open.

One of the key features of the Colloquium is the poster sessions, which have facilitated many collaborations, partnerships, and learning opportunities. This year, approximately 300 posters will be presented. However, rows of text-heavy posters can be difficult for attendees to navigate, particularly for those for whom English is not their native language, or who may be neurodivergent or disabled.

To address this challenge, we are collaborating with a team of researchers who are investigating the accessibility of presentations at academic conferences. As part of their work, they have created Cochrane Colloquium poster templates based on the latest evidence.

Can you tell us a bit about your elite poster research team so we have an understanding of how you are approaching academic posters?
Sure! Our team includes Dr. Zen Faulkes, author of the book “Better Posters” and founder of the Better Posters blog, Dr. Mike Morrison, the psychologist who created a redesign for scientific posters that went viral and started the #BetterPoster movement, and Dr. Emily Messina and her colleagues at IPG Health Medical Communications (James Wells, Noofa Hannan, and Anja Petersen).   

What do you see as the purpose of academic posters?
For all the hate posters get, they have incredible potential and play a crucial role in science communication. A scientific poster session is one of the only learning environments in science where researchers walk into a room completely open to learning anything. So, a key function of scientific posters is to give scientists broad, serendipitous insight about work going on across their whole field. They’re also great for meeting people with similar research interests. Networking is a key purpose of attending a poster session, but the job of the poster itself is to communicate insight very quickly (and engagingly!) in a stressed, busy environment.

Most conference attendees can probably relate to this. Most academic posters follow the same format that they always have. What’s wrong with them?
Imagine that you’re standing in front of a wall where somebody has taped-up printed pages of a scientific paper, and you’re trying to read all those dense text and tiny figures on the pages from 4 feet away. Now imagine trying to do that while there are literally 100 other similar ‘posters’ you need to see in a short time, and while a presenter is standing in your personal bubble trying to talk to you. Now imagine trying to do that with low vision, or a processing disorder that amplifies the lights and sounds in the room. It’s difficult to learn anything from the poster in that context, which is why people often just give up and ask the presenter to explain the study.

That’s core problem with the traditional scientific poster design: It ignores the context of just how busy and overwhelming the room it’s sitting in is. Mainly because it was created decades ago when poster sessions were much smaller.

There is also a harmful feedback loop in scientific poster design, where authors with (typically) no design training feel like they need to ‘fill up all the space’ with text and figures to ‘show that they did work’, and then the poster session attendees learn just to accept that cluttered posters will always be the norm and we have to make due with them.

So, what would make these posters better?
A ‘better’ poster is one that is designed to teach people about what the study learned fast, even when they’re mentally overwhelmed or standing far away. This typically means ‘better’ posters are much less cluttered, have big clear takeaways, and have bigger key figures and data visualizations. You can imagine how this is also unsurprisingly better for accessibility needs like low vision or ADHD.

Can you tell us more about the design you came up with?
The #BetterPoster template is based on the latest research in instructional design, accessibility, and eye tracking. It is designed to teach people something (typically the main finding) from a far distance; this makes it possible for you to learn something from every poster in the room, not just the few you stop at. (If you’re a presenter worried about ‘spoilers’, research so far indicates that this results in the same or more people actually stopping to talk). Then, the remainder of the poster is designed to quickly communicate additional details (limitations, key figures, methods) still at a distance of about 3ft. The figures also include mini-takeaways, to help people interpret graphs while also trying to, for example, pay attention to you the presenter. Finally, it includes a QR code that people can scan to get the author’s contact details or read the whole paper.

Cochrane is adopting the #BetterPoster design as the official poster template for the Cochrane Colloquium. What can poster presenters expect?
Poster presenters can expect to save hours of time in creating their posters and to have an easier time getting their information to the people who will be most interested in their content. You’ll notice that when people walk by your betterposter, more people will at least read your big main finding. When that happens, count it as a little win: you’ve just communicated something you’ve learned to somebody else who needs to know it, even if they didn’t stop. Then, when people do stop to talk, hopefully you notice that they’re able to engage with more content on your poster and ask you better questions because you made it big and clear enough to read. Presenters can download the templates here. The templates are adjustable to the specific size requirements of the colloquium, but they can also be adapted for other presentations in the future. And please get creative in how you make your poster ‘feel’! Communicating study-relevant emotion is part of good science communication. We're excited to see what you come up with; please tag pictures of your poster with #BetterPoster on social media so we can see them!

And what can attendees of the Colloquium expect?
You typically browse a poster session hunting for those one or two posters that are most relevant to you that you’re going to invest in. You can still do that, but now, with betterposters, you’ll be constantly learning as you’re hunting. You’ll learn something from every single poster you walk by, and then more from the few you decide to stop at. And if you stop to talk, it’ll be easier to see the figures and details while you’re talking to the presenter. And if you want even more on your favourite poster, scan the QR code for more detail that you can take away.  We will include an evaluation within the official post-Colloquium survey and look forward to hearing attendees' feedback.

• Download the #BetterPoster template
• Learn more about the Cochrane Colloquium, 4-6 September 2023

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Title: Project Officer
Specifications: 12-Months Fixed Term – Contract
Salary: £32,500 per annum
Location: UK – Remote/Flexible
Directorate: CEOO
Closing date: May 22, 2023

Cochrane is an international charity. For 30 years we have responded to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesising research findings and our work has been recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters from around the world. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into five directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

We are recruiting a project officer role to support the Project Portfolio Manager with the development of Cochrane’s new organizational strategy, annual operational plans and quarterly reports. The role will also support the Project Managers with administrative duties for Cochrane’s priority projects and programs where required.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Our organization is built on four core values: Collaboration: Underpins everything we do, locally and globally. Relevant: The right evidence at the right time in the right format. Integrity: Independent and transparent. Quality: Reviewing and improving what we do, maintaining rigour and trust.

You can expect:

• An opportunity to truly impact health globally
• A flexible work environment
•  A comprehensive onboarding experiences
• An environment where people feel welcome, heard, and included, regardless of their differences

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• Further information on the role and how to apply
• The deadline to receive your application is the May 22nd , 2023.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.  
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement

Friday, May 5, 2023 Category: Jobs

Cochrane Rehabilitation will represent Cochrane in an upcoming side event at the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA). The event, titled "Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems - Responding to the new WHA Resolution" aims to raise awareness of evidence-based health policies and advocate for the integration of rehabilitation services into health systems. As WHO's decision-making body, the WHA is attended by representatives from all Member States, making it a crucial platform for promoting evidence-informed healthcare practices. This year's assembly marks the 75th anniversary of WHO's founding and the first time that a resolution focused on rehabilitation has been included in the agenda.

• 25 May 2023, 18:30 - 19:30 CEST, followed by a  reception
• The Auditorium, Domaine de la Pastorale, Route de Ferney 106, Geneva  or via live-stream
• Register to attend in-person or online
  
  
  

Emma Thompson, Cochrane 's Advocacy and Partnership Lead, stated: “The World Health Assembly is the most important global health policy forum, bringing together health leaders from around the world. This side event is a major opportunity for Cochrane to stand alongside others working in rehabilitation in calling on decision-makers to ensure that the provision of robust, evidence-informed services for everyone remains firmly on the global health agenda.”

Dr. Carlotte Kiekens, Cochrane Rehabilitation Co-Director, emphasized the significance of the forthcoming vote on the "Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems" resolution, stating: "This year, the World Health Assembly (WHA) will vote for the first time on a resolution for ‘Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems'. This comes from an understanding that we are experiencing increased disability and multimorbidity due to the ageing population, the growth of non-communicable diseases, and the successes of medicine.”

Prof. Stefano Negrini, Director of Cochrane Rehabilitation, will participate in the panel session and discuss issues related to research and evidence needs for rehabilitation. Cochrane Rehabilitation has collaborated with WHO on evidence support for rehabilitation issues for several years, including as part of Rehabilitation 2030 and in leading Cochrane’s involvement in the new World Rehabilitation Alliance.

Negrini explained, “The WHA resolution follows WHO’s launch of “Rehabilitation 2030: a call for action”, the production of a Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation, and the launch of the World Rehabilitation Alliance to advocate for the field. During the WHA side event, promoted by the delegations of several countries and co-organised with partners in the field, Cochrane, through Cochrane Rehabilitation, has been given a specific place on the panel discussion due to our strong collaboration with the WHO Rehabilitation Programme over the years.”

Overall, the side event offers a valuable opportunity for Cochrane to stand in solidarity with others in the rehabilitation field to urge decision-makers to prioritize the provision of evidence-informed services for all. Recent estimates suggest that over 2.4 billion people worldwide live with health conditions that could benefit from rehabilitation, yet more than half of the global population lack access to these services, particularly in lower-income or fragile settings.

• Register for  "Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems - Responding to the new WHA Resolution" by 18 May
• Visit the Cochrane Rehabilitation website

Friday, May 5, 2023

Friday, May 5, 2023

Friday, May 5, 2023