August 2023 (Next October 2023)

In this issue

1) Cochrane's focused review format is now available in RevMan.

2) More information about our new Handbooks: the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy and the Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.

3) Upcoming events and opportunities to get involved include online webinars and Methods Support web clinics.

4) Meet Heather Ames and Catherine Houghton of the Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group.

5) New resources include articles from our Methods Groups and much more!

Your top three highlights

Cochrane's focused review format is now available in RevMan

Cochrane is simplifying and streamlining the review process, making it more efficient for our authors. To maintain that standard, we are making some major changes, one of which is the introduction of a new focused review format, now available for ongoing and new protocols, reviews and updates. More information for authors is available in the RevMan Knowledge Base.

What you need to know about the new Cochrane Diagnostic Test Accuracy Handbook

We are delighted to announce the launch of the first complete version and print edition of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy. After substantive work over the years, this version is now freely available online via the Cochrane Training website and in printed and e-book form, which can be purchased from the Wiley website. Read more about this launch here.

Introducing the new Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis

The Cochrane-Campbell Handbook for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis is the official guide that describes in detail the process of preparing and maintaining systematic reviews of qualitative evidence for Cochrane. It is a step-by-step guide for those conducting systematic reviews of qualitative evidence and a reference for more experienced authors. Please consult the three first chapters of this Handbook online via the Cochrane Training website.

Events and opportunities

Upcoming

● 4-6 September: Cochrane Colloquium 2023: Forward together for trusted evidence in London (UK). Open to all; fees apply.

● 3-4 October: Cochrane Learning Live webinar: Changes to the review format with study centric data and a focused review article: What does it mean for authors? Open to Cochrane authors, editors and staff; registration required.

● 5 October: Cochrane Methods Support Unit web clinic: New guidance on using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. Open to Cochrane authors, editors and staff; registration required.

● 17-20 October: What Works Global Summit 2023 in Ottawa (Canada). Open to all; fees apply.

● October 23-25: Workshop Systematic reviews and meta-analysis of prognosis studies (with Prognosis Methods Group). Open to all; course fee applies.

● 25-28 October: EBHC International Conference 2023, in person in Sicily (Italy) and online. Open to all; fees apply.

Can you help with methods-related tasks? Browse Engage (formerly TaskExchange) for opportunities (tip! Filter by your specific skills). For more information on signing up and using the platform, see the instructions.

New resources

● Members of Comparing Multiple Interventions and Bias evaluate whether summary treatment effect estimates differ between preprint and peer-reviewed journal trials in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

● Members of Prognosis review how sample size is considered in studies developing a prediction model for a binary outcome in BMC Medical Research Methodology.

●Members of GRADEing and Economics outline how resource utilization and cost-effectiveness analyses are integrated into health-related recommendations, using the GRADE approach in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

● Members of Equity and GRADEing describe how health equity was assessed in the development of COVID-19 formal recommendations in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

●Members of Equity and GRADEing compare understanding, accessibility, usability, satisfaction, intention to implement, and preference of youths provided with a digital plain language recommendation format vs. the original standard language version of a health recommendation in JAMA Pediatrics.

●Members of Prognosis examine how continuous predictors are handled in studies developing a clinical prediction model in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

● Members of Adverse Effects introduce a protocol to evaluate and characterize social media use in the detection of adverse drug events and pharmacovigilance in JMIR Research Protocols.

● Members of Qualitative and Implementation describe the uptake of GRADE-CERQual in qualitative evidence synthesis by review authors in Health Research Policy and Systems.

● Members of Rapid Reviews assess the adherence and investigate authors' understanding of the Rapid Review Methods Group guidance in Research Synthesis and Methods.

● Members of Bias synthesise research investigating data and code sharing in medicine and health in the BMJ.

●Members of Economics introduce the CHEERS-VOI checklist to provide reporting guidance and checklist to support the transparent, reproducible and high-quality reporting of value of Information analyses in Value in Health.

● Members of Qualitative and Implementation explore whether and how trial teams share qualitative data collected as part of the design, conduct, analysis, or delivery of clinical trials in HRB Open Research.

Meet Heather Ames and Catherine Houghton of the Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group