Cochrane is an international, not-for-profit network of clinicians, patients and carers, researchers, and policy-makers creating high-quality healthcare evidence synthesises. Cochrane has a long and rich history of collaborating with healthcare consumers and this is the story of what breast cancer patients experienced when contributing to a Cochrane Review.  

In 1995, Nora Carbine and Liz Lostumbo, both former breast cancer patients, embarked on a transformative journey as attendees of the Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Development (LEAD) program developed by the National Breast Cancer Coalition (US). Designed to equip patients with the necessary scientific and leadership essentials for becoming proactive advocates, this five-day initiative taught by notable scientists provided a platform for people with breast cancer to amplify their voices.  

One of the founders of LEAD and a course teacher was  Kay Dickerson MD, an epidemiologist and an active Cochrane member. Post-LEAD, Dr. Dickerson encouraged them to form a Journal Club, meeting monthly with her. Initially guided by Dr. Dickerson's article choices, the members eventually took the reins, presenting their findings on breast cancer research articles. Over a transformative two-year period, they developed their skills in scrutinizing research methods, assessing statistical validity, and distinguishing misinformation. Dr. Dickerson proposed to the group – would they be interested in leading on conducting a Cochrane systematic review on mastectomy to prevent breast cancer (prophylactic mastectomy)? 

A determined group of seven breast cancer advocates undertook the challenge to provide accessible information on prophylactic mastectomy for both patients and physicians, emphasizing the importance of informed decision-making. Guided by Dr. Dickerson and Davina Ghersi at Cochrane, they submitted their plan of study (Protocol) to Cochrane in 2000. They would gather at each other’s houses after work or on a Saturday morning and go through article after article, debating which ones to include and which to exclude. Despite one of the original members and driving force, Annette Drummond, becoming seriously ill with a recurrence of breast cancer, other members dropping out, and the abundance of evidence they had to wade through, the Cochrane review published in 2004, four years after this remarkable journey started.  

A unique feature of Cochrane reviews is that they are updated when new evidence is available. Classes in RevMan (Cochrane’s software for preparing and maintaining Cochrane and other systemic reviews) were taken and more people were added to the team, including an experienced reviewer. The first updated review was published in 2010. 

“Actress Angelina Jolie revealing her family history and her procedures coupled with the increasing availability of DNA testing, thrust the topic of mastectomy for breast cancer prevention into the limelight," says Liz Lostumbo. “We worried that women facing the decision of whether to undergo a prophylactic mastectomy might only encounter anecdotes in the popular media. We were particularly concerned about the lack of discussion concerning the quality of life for patients after mastectomy. The Cochrane review and its accompanying plain language summary became our means of addressing the critical gap in knowledge." 

For the third revision in 2018, they brought in more expertise and updated the wording, changing “prophylactic mastectomy” to “risk-reducing mastectomy”. The review is highly cited, has been made into a Cochrane Clinical Answer for clinicians, and has been included in three clinical guidelines. The plain language summary has been translated into 8 languages making it more accessible globally to patients making a decision and has been included in several Wikipedia articles.  

Nora and Liz note that they will hand other future updates to authors who can break the review into parts that ask more concise questions and produce more high-value conclusions – some of this work is already underway.  

“For us, the whole process of being the only group of patients to take on the responsibility of preparing a review and updating it was one of great satisfaction and pride,” says Nora Carbine. “We believe our work has helped thousands of women facing the decision of having a mastectomy to prevent breast cancer by providing evidence they need to be well informed to make their choice. We applaud Cochrane for giving us the opportunity and thank those who supported us in our endeavour.” 

Cochrane is extremely proud of Nora and Liz and all our patient and advocate volunteers. “While the work of Nora and Liz is extraordinary, it embodies the spirit of what Cochrane is trying to achieve.  We are proud to engage with patients to co-produce health evidence that is meaningful, easy to understand, and can be used for decision-making,” explains Richard Morley, Cochrane’s Consumer Engagement Officer. “The Cochrane Consumer Network has played a formal role since 1995 with over 2,000 members and Cochrane has a formal framework for involving patients, carers, and the public. While it’s likely most patients and caregivers aren’t as ambitious to author a Cochrane systematic review, we do hope this story is an inspiration for others to join our work.” From learning about health evidence and making informed health choices to volunteering to read over our plain language summaries on our volunteer hub Cochrane Engage, there are lots of ways you too can make a global impact on health! 

• Read a more detailed account of Nora and Liz’s story 
• Join Cochrane’s work as a patient, carer, or member of the public 

A new Cochrane Library Editorial has been published about the history of a recently updated Cochrane review on healthcare decision aids and its implications for practice. There is also an accompanying podcast where you can hear the current lead author explain the need for the review and its latest findings in under four minutes.

Decision aids are one type of tool that can be used to support the process of shared decision making between patients and their health professionals, a key element of person-centred care and health system improvements. A major update to the landmark Cochrane review on decision aids has just been published with an analysis of 209 studies involving 107,698 participants. It provides clear evidence of the benefits of the use of decision aids over usual care across a huge array of health options, ranging from choices about cancer screening to decisions about major elective surgery.

An accompanying editorial describes the influence of this review on practice for over 20 years, with successive updates responding to the changing understanding of decision aids and shared decision-making over this time. The review has been referred to in more than 90 clinical practice guidelines and has been one of the most cited reviews published in the Cochrane Library for over a decade. 

With more convincing evidence of the benefits of using decision aids now available, the editorial discusses implications for practice and highlights some remaining challenges of implementing decision aids. This Cochrane review will continue to be updated and the authors hope to see the findings not only reflected in many guidelines but implemented across many health systems. 

• Read the Cochrane Library editorial 
  Ryan RE, Hill S. Decision aids: challenges for practice when we have confidence in effectiveness. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2024, Issue 1. Art. No.: ED000164. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.ED000164.

• Read the Cochrane review
   Stacey D, Lewis KB, Smith M, Carley M, Volk R, Douglas EE, Pacheco-Brousseau L, Finderup J, Gunderson J, Barry MJ, Bennett CL, Bravo P, Steffensen K, Gogovor A, Graham ID, Kelly SE, Légaré F, Sondergaard H, Thomson R, Trenaman L, Trevena L. Decision aids for people facing health treatment or screening decisions. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2024, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001431. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001431.pub6.
  
  
  
  
• Listen to the podcast
  Current lead author, Dawn Stacey from the University of Ottawa and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute in Canada, explains the need for the review and its latest findings in under 4 minutes.
  
  

• Evidently Cochrane blog - Decision aids: helping people make better healthcare choices
  When faced with healthcare choices, how do we work out what to do? Decision aids can help, as can good conversations with our clinicians as part of shared decision-making, discussions that take into account clinical expertise, evidence and personal factors such as our preferences and circumstances. This blog includes Joanna’s story of her experience of making an important treatment decision but without the benefit of supportive discussions with her surgeon, plus some Cochrane evidence and useful UK resources.

In celebration of 2024 International Women's Day (IWD), Cochrane is delighted to share a recording of an event showcasing a diverse panel of speakers discussing the IWD 2024 theme of #InspireInclusion

Tiffany Duque, Cochrane US Senior Officer, Panelist, and 2022 winner of the Anne Anderson Award says, "The 2024 IWD event was organized and hosted by our talented Cochrane US Mentees. This marks the third cohort through the Cochrane Mentoring program and the third IWD event. Hailing from 21 different countries, participants range from students to early career professionals, all poised for a bright future within Cochrane. We were delighted that they could once again host this cherished event. Thank you to everyone who attended and we invite everyone to watch the recording."

• #InspireInclusion in health: What is the first step? from Dr Luis Gabriel Cuervo Amore
•   Women in Science: Strategies to Call to Action from Dr Vivian Welch
•  Mentee & Mentor: different languages, different cultures, and how to foster inclusion together from Kehinde Ayomide Agubosim and Dr Karen Gibbs

Paola Andrenacci, Cochrane US Mentor Program Coordinator, and lead for this event, shares her excitement, "We are thrilled about the turn out to this webinar and so happy we can expand the reach with this recording. It was wonderful to bring together this dynamic group to discuss issues of inspiring inclusion in healthcare. Their diverse perspectives and experiences can help us identify barriers to equity and work towards solutions benefiting everyone. I encourage everyone to watch and share the recording! A special thank you to our  Moderators Maya Abdelwahab, Claudia De Santis, Julia Costa-Maria Carolina Isaza."

Related resources:

• VIDEO: 2023 International Women's Day Panel on embracing equality
• VIDEO: 2022 International Women's Day Panel on gender bias in health science and evidence synthesis
• VIDEO: 2021 International Women's Day Panel on diversity in health evidence synthesis
• Celebrating Anne Anderson and Cochrane diversity with new designs: an interview with artist Heather Tubwon
• Cochrane Indonesia’s Director reflects on her continued contributions to maternal and perinatal health and the work of Cochrane

Specifications: Permanent – Full Time (1.0 FTE)
Salary:  £36,000 per Annum  
Location: (Remote – Flexible) Ideally based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. Candidates anywhere from the world will be considered; however, Cochrane’s Central Executive Team is only able to offer consultancy contracts outside these countries for 1-Year.
Closing date: 28 January 2024
 
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 four directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

The Cochrane Support and Training Officer will work within the Cochrane Support Team, with special responsibility for providing training to internal Central Executive Team colleagues, Cochrane authors, and Cochrane Group staff. Training will focus on new Review Manager (RevMan) project and portfolio management features in 2024. The role also includes ongoing internal training responsibilities.   

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

• For further information on the role and how to apply
• The deadline to receive your application is 28th January 2024.
• 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

Title: Project Manager
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £42,000 per Annum
Location: UK/ London Remote Based Role
Directorate: CEOO
Closing date: 15 January, 2024

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 four directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

To support the Evidence Production and Methods Department (EPM), Publishing and Technology department (P&T), Cochrane Library Product Manager and other Central Executive Teams (CET) in delivering on high priority projects: to project manage the highest priority EPM, P&T and other Cochrane projects where appropriate.

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 15th January, 2024.
• 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

Cochrane warmly invites you to submit abstracts for oral presentations, posters, and workshops for the second Global Evidence Summit (GES) 2024. Hosted by global leaders in evidence synthesis and evidence-based practice, including Cochrane, JBI, Guidelines International Network (GIN), and The Campbell Collaboration, the summit is set to take place in the historical city of Prague, Czech Republic, from 10 to 13 September 2024, with satellite meetings on 9 September 2024.

This collaborative effort between esteemed organizations represents a unique opportunity for professionals across various sectors, such as health, education, social justice, the environment, and climate change, to engage in discussions about producing, summarizing, and disseminating evidence to inform policy and practice. Abstract and workshop submissions will be accepted until the extended deadline of  6 March 2024.

Dr. Karla Soares-Weiser, Vice Chair of the GES Scientific Committee and Cochrane Editor in Chief, extends an invitation to the Cochrane community, emphasizing the importance of their participation in this global event: 

As we open the doors for abstract submissions to the second Global Evidence Summit, I am thrilled to invite the Cochrane community to contribute to the exchange of ideas that will shape the future of evidence-based practice. This summit, uniting leading organizations in evidence synthesis, is a testament to our commitment to improving lives worldwide through the power of credible evidence. I encourage all Cochrane members and supporters to submit their abstracts for oral presentations, posters, or workshops, and join us in Prague for this exceptional opportunity to collaborate, learn, and drive positive change.

The themes for GES 2024 include:

• Sustainable development agenda
• The importance of research integrity making evidence accessible
• Power of synergy in evidence synthesis & synthesis products
• Evidence translation & implementation
• Advocating for greater evidence communication & use of evidence
• From global evidence to local impact
  
  
  
  

Catherine Spencer, Cochrane's CEO, emphasizing the significance of the GES in fostering synergies and knowledge sharing within the global evidence community:

Our recent Cochrane Colloquium in London was a testament to the vibrant spirit of the Cochrane community. In 2024, we are excited to co-host the second Global Evidence Summit alongside our esteemed partners. GES provides a crucial platform to address vital issues across sectors, while showcasing the incredible methods and work of Cochrane. I warmly invite all Cochrane members to participate actively and submit abstracts. Let's unite for #GES2024 and contribute to advancing evidence-based practice globally!

Abstracts and workshop submissions are open until 6 March 2024 with notifications of acceptances happening on 30 April 2024. 

• Oral and poster abstract details
• Workshop submission details
• Visit the GES Website

Four global leaders in evidence synthesis and evidence-based practice, Cochrane, JBI, Guidelines International Network, and The Campbell Collaboration, invite you to join the eagerly anticipated 2nd Global Evidence Summit. These organizations are forgoing their annual conferences in 2024, and uniting once again to provide an event with a unique opportunity to exchange ideas about how best to produce, summarise and disseminate evidence to inform policy and practice, and use that evidence to improve people’s lives across the world. 

The summit will be multi-disciplinary and will bring together academics, researchers, and leaders across different sectors, including health, education, social justice, the environment, and climate change. Abstract and workshop submissions will open in early January. The themes for GES 2024 are:

• Sustainable development agenda 
• The importance of research integrity in making evidence accessible 
• Power of synergy in evidence synthesis & synthesis products 
• Evidence translation & implementation 
• Advocating for greater evidence communication & use of evidence 
• From global evidence to local impact

Catherine Spencer, Cochrane's CEO, extends a personal invitation to everyone in the Cochrane community: 

"It was wonderful to unite with the vibrant Cochrane community at our recent Cochrane Colloquium in London. In 2024, rather than hosting individual conferences, we take immense pride in co-hosting the 2nd Global Evidence Summit (GES) alongside some of our esteemed partners. This landmark event is scheduled to take place in Prague, Czech Republic, from 10 - 13 September with Satellite meetings on the 9 September.

We extend a warm and enthusiastic invitation to all our Cochrane members and supporters to mark these dates in their calendars and join us for what promises to be an extraordinary gathering of global minds. The GES serves as a pivotal platform for discussions spanning critical issues across various sectors, including health, education, social justice, the environment, and climate change.

Attending the GES will undoubtedly be of great benefit to our Cochrane community, fostering synergies and facilitating knowledge sharing within the global evidence community. I extend an invitation to explore the website, mark your calendars, and begin contemplating abstract submissions. Let's prepare to unite for #GES2024, actively shaping a future anchored in evidence-synthesis and collaborative efforts."

• Visit the newly launched GES website
• Subscribe to the GES 2024 newsletter

Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary:  £60,000 per Annum  
Location: (Remote – Flexible) Ideally based in UK, Germany and Denmark. Candidates anywhere from the world will be considered; however, Cochrane’s Central Executive Team is only able to offer consultancy contracts outside these countries.
Closing date: 01 January 2024

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 four directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

This role will lead the Membership, Learning & Support department in providing strategically-focussed services, providing intelligent pathways for people to get involved through membership, communicating and engaging with them in innovative ways to strengthen and develop their relationship with Cochrane, shaping and offering high quality learning experiences, and supporting people with their enquiries.

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

• For further information on the role and how to apply
• The deadline to receive your application is 1st Jan, 2024.
• 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