Ponovljene doze prenatalnih kortikosteroida za žene s rizikom od prijevremenog poroda za poboljšanje neonatalnih zdravstvenih ishoda Što je proučavano u ovom sustavnom pregledu? Novorođenčad rođena prije termina (prije 37. tjedna trudnoće) izložena je riziku od otežanog disanja i bolesti pluća jer njihova pluća nisu u potpunosti razvijena. Jedna doza prenatalnih (primijenjenih tijekom trudnoće) kortikosteroida, koja se daje ženama koje bi mogle rano roditi, pomaže u razvoju djetetovih pluća i poboljšava preživljavanje. Ovaj korisni učinak ne traje dulje od sedam dana, tako da su bebe rođene...

Kontinuirani pozitivni tlak dišnih puteva (CPAP) za akutni bronhiolitis u djece Pitanje sustavnog pregleda Je li kontinuirani pozitivni tlak na dišne puteve (engl. continuous positive airway pressure, CPAP) bolji ili lošiji od simptomatske terapije za djecu koja pate od akutnog bronhiolitisa? Dosadašnje spoznaje Bronhiolitis je upala malih dišnih puteva u plućima i čest uzrok bolničkog liječenja male djece. Djeca s akutnim bronhiolitisom obično primaju simptomatsku terapiju koja uključuje odgovarajuću hidraciju te davanje dodatnog kisika ako je to potrebno. Liječenje pomoću CPAP metode...

Jesu li instrumenti sa videokamerom za umetanje cijevi za disanje kod odraslih bolji od instrumenata s izravnim pogledom i uzrokuju li neželjene učinke? Ključne poruke Uređaji koji se nazivaju laringoskopi koriste se kao pomoć medicinskom osoblju da umetnu plastičnu cijev za disanje u nečiji dušnik jer im je potrebna pomoć pri disanju. Na uređaj se može priključiti video kamera. Otkrili smo da videolaringoskopi općenito poboljšavaju uspjeh umetanja cijevi za disanje u usporedbi s konvencionalnim laringoskopima. Što je intubacija? Ljudi koji su jako bolesni ili imaju operaciju pod općom...

Kontrolne intervencije u randomiziranim ispitivanjima za osobe s mentalnim poremećajima Ovaj sustavni pregled procjenjuje učinak različitih kontrolnih intervencija u randomiziranim ispitivanjima koja uključuju pacijente s mentalnim poremećajima. U randomiziranim ispitivanjima pacijenti su nasumično podijeljeni u jednu od dvije ili više skupina - obično u intervencijsku skupinu i kontrolnu skupinu. Postoji veliki broj kontrolnih intervencija u istraživanjima za mentalno zdravlje. Jedne od najčešćih kontrolnih intervencija su različiti tipovi placeba u kojima nedostaje ono što se podrazumijeva...

Postupno (temeljeno na algoritmu) liječenje boli za osobe s demencijom koje žive u staračkim domovima Cilj Cochraneovog sustavnog pregleda Zanimalo nas je kako medicinske sestre mogu najbolje kontrolirati bol kod osoba s demencijom koje žive u domovima za starije osobe. Liječenje boli uključuje mjerenje boli i liječenje boli ukoliko je to potrebno. Zanimalo nas je mogu li postupne upute (algoritam) za medicinske sestre o tome kako liječiti bol smanjiti bol ili ponašanje koje može ukazivati na to da je netko pod stresom (kao što je udaranje, vikanje ili lutanje). Što je bilo proučavano u ovom...

Intervencije za liječenje infekcija krvotoka povezanih s kateterom u pacijenata na hemodijalizi Što je proučavano u ovom sustavnom pregledu? Bolesnici sa zatajenjem bubrega zahtijevaju nadomjesnu bubrežnu terapiju (NBT). Među NBT opcijama, hemodijaliza (HD) je primarna metoda dijalize. Pacijenti koji primaju HD putem stalnog katetera imaju veći rizik od razvoja infekcija krvotoka. Postoji nekoliko opcija za liječenje ovih infekcija krvotoka. One uključuju otopine za zaključavanje katetera (infuzije visokih doza antibiotika unutar svakog otvora katetera između dijaliznih postupaka),...

Grant to enhance evidence-informed guideline recommendations for newborn and young child health in South Africa, Malawi and Nigeria

The Global Evidence, Local Adaptation project aims to maximise the impact of evidence for poverty-related diseases by increasing the capacity of decision makers and researchers to use global research to develop locally relevant guidelines for newborn and child health. The project will support decision makers in South Africa, Malawi and Nigeria, and will build on and add value to the large-scale programme of child-health guideline development led by the World Health Organization (WHO), with adaptation and implementation led by the WHO Afro regional office, country offices and national ministries.

 “Despite progress in the health of newborns and children, most sub-Saharan African countries have not met the Sustainable Development Goals for under-five mortality,” said Tamara Kredo of Cochrane SA. “In the context of COVID-19, even though most children present with mild conditions, the consequences of the pandemic are being felt on health systems and services, hampering healthcare delivery to children and increasing poverty, food insecurity and inequity. To address these issues, policy makers and practitioners not only need evidence-based guidance on effective clinical care, they also need guidance on how to implement this care efficiently within the context of their own health systems, considering inequity (in health and access to services) caused by poverty and other factors.”

“MAGIC is thrilled to be partner in GELA,” said Per Olav Vandvik. “The need to allow WHO guidelines to make an impact in member states is critical. Now is the time to show this is possible and we believe this strong consortium of partners is excellently placed to get the work done.”

“Clinical practice guidelines offer a means to bridge the gap between research evidence and practice and are essential policy-implementation tools supporting implementation of effective, cost-effective healthcare,” added Kredo.

The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) has awarded three-year (2022 – 2025) funding of over 3 million Euro to a partnership coordinated by Cochrane South Africa (SA), South African Medical Research Council along with partners from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Western Norway University of Applied Science, Stellenbosch University (South Africa), Cochrane Nigeria at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (Malawi), Cochrane and the Stiftelsen MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem (Norway).  

 The specific objectives are to: 

1. ENGAGE: Identify child and newborn priority topics and the capacity needs of guideline panels. 
2. SYNTHESISE: Support policy makers and researchers to find, appraise and use best-available systematic reviews and guidelines. 
3. DECIDE: Support guideline panels’ capacity to contextualise global evidence using transparent, digitally supported standards and WHO methods for guideline development. 
4. SHARE: Disseminate and communicate guideline recommendations to healthcare providers and the public using innovative and user-friendly formats and digital platforms.
5. LEARN: Strengthen capacity of researchers and policy makers for all aspects of guideline development, adaptation and dissemination. 
6. EVALUATE: Monitor and evaluate policy makers’ experiences of this approach, preferences for receiving evidence, capacity development and overall impact of the project on evidence-informed decision-making processes. 

GELA will incorporate a multi-faceted, multidisciplinary research and capacity-strengthening programme using primary and secondary research, guideline-adaptation methodology and digital platforms to support delivery and dynamic local adaptation. This is enabled through a project team of African and international leaders in the field of evidence-based healthcare and guidelines methods partnering with national ministries in Malawi, Nigeria and South Africa, the WHO and its Afro regional office and the civil society group, Peoples Health Movement.

The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) is a public-public partnership between countries in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, supported by the European Union. EDCTP focuses on enhancing research capacity and accelerating the development of new or improved medical interventions for the identification, treatment and prevention of poverty-related infectious diseases, including emerging and re-emerging diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, through all phases of clinical trials, with emphasis on phase II and III trials. 

 This project is part of the EDCTP2 programme supported by the European Union (grant number RIA2020S-3303-GELA).

 ABOUT THE PARTNERS

Cochrane South Africa

Cochrane South Africa (SA) is an intramural research unit of the South African Medical Research Council and is part of the global, independent Cochrane network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health. It aims to promote evidence-informed healthcare decision-making in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa by producing high-quality, relevant, accessible systematic reviews and other synthesised research evidence.

https://southafrica.cochrane.org/about-us

Cochrane

Cochrane focuses on producing relevant and timely synthesised evidence and is a global advocate for evidence-informed health and health care. We work towards a world of improved health where decisions about health and health care are informed by high-quality, relevant and up-to-date synthesised research evidence. Our members and supporters come from more than 130 countries, worldwide.

https://www.cochrane.org/

MAGIC

The independent non-profit Norwegian MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation was set up in 2018 to provide sustainable and professional services to our customers (e.g. MAGICapp) while pursuing the evidence ecosystem vision through continued research and innovation.

MAGIC leads the work package on disseminating and communicating CPG recommendations to healthcare providers and the public. GELA will make use of innovative formats and the MAGIC authoring and publication platform (MAGICapp) to adapt, translate WHO guidelines for national and local use. MAGIC will also support development and adaptation of the guideline recommendations, customised to the needs of decision makers and making use of the GRADE EtD framework.

https://magicevidence.org/

Centre for Evidence-based healthcare, Stellenbosch University

The CEBHC is a recognised leader nationally and globally for research and practice in teaching and learning for evidence-based health care (EBHC). Based at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences they support undergraduate and post-graduate training in all aspects of EBHC. They lead a Masters in Clinical Epidemiology programme recognised throughout the continent. Leads at SU have spearheaded several projects linked to evidence synthesis, knowledge translation, building capacity of policymakers and researchers for evidence-informed policymaking, and supported national and international guideline projects.  

https://www.cebhc.co.za/

NIPH

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) acts as a national competence institution placed directly under the Ministry of Health and Care Services. Our social mission is to provide knowledge and systematic reviews to contribute to good public health efforts and healthcare services. In this way we contribute to better health, both in Norway and globally.

https://www.fhi.no/en/

Cochrane Nigeria

Cochrane Nigeria at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital's Institute of Tropical Disease Research and Prevention is involved in the production and dissemination of relevant and priority systematic reviews of healthcare interventions, provision of technical support for development of trustworthy clinical practice guidelines and knowledge translation activities involving the media. Our long term strategic goal is to strengthen stakeholders' capacity to use evidence to inform decisions for positive individual and population health outcomes within Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

https://nigeria.cochrane.org/

Kamuzu University of Health Sciences

Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) is a public-owned university established in 2019 under the act of parliament by merging the Kamuzu College of Nursing (est. 1979) and College of Medicine (est. 1991). As a key government partner, the university continues to serve the Malawi nation through provision of quality education and innovation through research as key to the health welfare of Malawi, the region and beyond. Through research the university generates evidence that informs government policies and practice in the health sector. KUHeS is an internationally recognised institution currently leading the teaching of systematic reviews, evidence-based healthcare and formulation of evidence-informed health guidelines in Malawi.

www.kuhes.ac.mw 

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Žica vodilica ili kontrast: što je bolje za sprječavanje pankreatitisa nakon retrogradne kolangiopankreatografije? Ključne poruke: • Endoskopska retrogradna kolangiopankreatografija (ERCP) kombinira endoskopiju i rendgenske snimke za dijagnosticiranje i liječenje problema žučnih i gušteračnih kanala. U usporedbi s tradicionalnom tehnikom koja uključuje ubrizgavanje kontrastne boje u kanale s kateterom, korištenje tehnike žice vodilice za pristup žučnom kanalu vjerojatno smanjuje rizik od post-ERCP pankreatitisa (PEP) i također može povećati stopu uspješnosti pristupa do žučnog kanala. •...

Radna terapija za kognitivne poremećaje u osoba koje su imale moždani udar Cilj Cochraneovog sustavnog pregleda Cilj ovog Cochraneovog sustavnog pregleda bio je otkriti poboljšava li radna terapija funkciju u svakodnevnim aktivnostima i kognitivne procese nakon moždanog udara. Spoznaja je obrada informacija koju provodi mozak, kao što je razmišljanje, obraćanje pažnje na stvari koje vidite ili čujete, učenje, pamćenje i rješavanje problema. Cochraneovi istraživači prikupili su i analizirali sva relevantna istraživanja o ovoj temi i pronašli 24 istraživanja. Ključne poruke Za osobe s...

Probiotici za liječenje kroničnog zatvora (konstipacije) u djece Cilj Cochraneovog sustavnog pregleda Cilj ovog Cochraneovog sustavnog pregleda bio je otkriti mogu li se probiotici koristiti za liječenje kroničnog zatvora bez fizičkog objašnjenja kod djece (u dobi od 0 do 18 godina). Analizirani su podaci iz 14 istraživanja kako bi se odgovorilo na to pitanje. Ključne poruke Autori nisu uspjeli donijeti zaključke o liječenju probioticima naspram liječenja placebom za učestalost pražnjenja crijeva u djece liječene od kroničnog zatvora bez fizičkog objašnjenja. Moguće je da nema razlike u...

Lijekovi za smanjenje upale kod osoba s obiteljskom mediteranskom vrućicom Istraživačko pitanje Može li liječenje kolhicinom, anakinrom, rilonaceptom, kanakinumabom, etanerceptom, infliksimabom, adalimumabom, talidomidom, tocilizumabom, interferonom-α i ImmunoGuardom (biljnim dodatkom) umanjiti upalu kod osoba s obiteljskom mediteranskom vrućicom (engl. familial Mediterranean fever, FMF)? Dosadašnje spoznaje Obiteljska mediteranska vrućica je nasljedna upalna bolest sa simptomima koji uključuju vrućicu iznad 38℃, bol i upalu opne koja okružuje prsnu šupljinu, zglobove ili pluća. Cilj ovog...

Specifications: Full Time (Permanent)
Salary: £60,000 per annum
Location: Flexible, UK
Application Closing Date:  Friday 15 April 2022

A wonderful new opportunity has come up on the team at Cochrane, a brilliant not-for-profit publishing organisation that facilitates global medical research. They are now looking for a new Head of Editorial who will lead the editorial operations and oversee the transition of editorial processes to a centralised system. With lots of change and growth planned, this is an exciting opportunity to join an expanding team and be involved with the strategic direction and leadership of the team.
 
Reporting into the Editor in Chief, you will have responsibility for:

• Overseeing a small team of direct and indirect reports
• Managing editorial operations for articles submitted, contributing to the development of new processes for direct submissions
• Attending editorial board meetings as part of senior management team
• Contributing to the editorial strategy for the launch of new journals and supplementary products
• Facilitating communication and collaboration among different directorates 

The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills and the ability to manage relationships with key stakeholders both internal and external to the business. Candidates applying do need experience with Editorial Manager as this is a new system which has been implemented. They will ideally come from an scholarly publishing background - ideally STM, and understand the importance of systematic reviews, research platforms and digital resources, and their role within research. Some experience of line management and budget management will be great, together with familiarity with a charity organisation or the healthcare sector.

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 health research more generally is an advantage, but not essential.

How to apply
If you're interested in finding out more about this great role, get in touch with Shalini Bhatt at Inspired Selection with your CV via s.bhatt@inspiredselection.com.

Friday, March 25, 2022 Category: Jobs

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an updated postnatal guideline which is supported by evidence from Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth reviews and one Cochrane Incontinence review.

Cochrane has been a non-governmental organization in official relations with WHO since 2011, and a major aspect of this partnership is supporting WHO’s global health guidelines with relevant evidence synthesis.

The Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group has a long-standing collaboration with WHO on the development and updating of Cochrane reviews that inform WHO’s guidelines on global maternal and perinatal health.

In March 2022, WHO released the updated comprehensive guideline called ‘WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience’. It focuses on the weeks shortly after the birth and makes 63 recommendations on maternal care, newborn care, health systems, and health promotion during the postnatal period.

The guideline draws on the evidence from a suite of systematic reviews and qualitative evidence syntheses, including 13 Cochrane Reviews. These Cochrane Reviews cover:

• Relief of postpartum pain (5 reviews; 3 recommendations) 
• Pelvic floor muscle training for pelvic floor strengthening (1 review; 1 recommendation) 
• Preventing and treating breast engorgement and mastitis (2 reviews; 4 recommendations) 
• Preventing postpartum constipation (1 review; 1 recommendation) 
• Vitamin D supplementation for term breastfed infants (1 review; 1 recommendation)
• Timing of discharge from health facilities to the home (1 review; 1 recommendation)
• Schedules for postnatal care contacts (1 review; 2 recommendations)

As well as the 12 Cochrane Reviews, a Cochrane qualitative evidence synthesis on the factors that influence the provision of postnatal care was used to help understand the acceptability and feasibility of different aspects of postnatal care, according to health workers. 

The Cochrane evidence highlights the broadened scope of the guideline, and sheds important light on some of the most common experiences of women after having a baby.

Evidently Cochrane Author Jessica Hatcher-Moore with her first baby at home, days after giving birth. Jessica had a positive first experience of birth but felt poorly prepared for what came next. Image: © Philip Hatcher-Moore

“The WHO guideline sets out clear recommendations around the common health issues women experience after giving birth. It brings renewed and due focus to the importance of a positive postnatal experience at the heart of care - because no woman should ever feel abandoned by health services after having a baby”, says Aleena Wojcieszek, a clinical epidemiologist, science communicator, and honorary research fellow at the Australian Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth (Stillbirth CRE). “I was excited to highlight the need for real investment in postnatal care and urgent need for high-quality research in a recently Evidently Cochrane blog. It’s written jointly with Jessica Hatcher-Moore, a new mother, and illustrates how good postnatal care should aim to meet every individual woman’s needs, leaving the new mother, her baby and family with a positive experience of this critical period in their lives.”

"Cochrane is extremely proud of this valuable work and our continued partnership with WHO", said Dr Karla Soares-Weiser, Editor in Chief of the Cochrane Library. "This particular collaboration makes it possible to translate the latest maternal and perinatal health evidence into practice quickly, which ultimately benefits more people's health."

• Read 'WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience' 
• Read the Evidently Cochrane blog: 'Putting positive experiences at the centre of postnatal care' 
• Visit the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth website
• Visit the Cochrane Incontinence website

 

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 Category: The difference we make

Oralni dekstrozni gel za liječenje novorođenčadi s niskom razinom glukoze u krvi Istraživačko pitanje Je li za novorođenčad s niskom razinom glukoze u krvi (hipoglikemijom) šećerni gel koji se uzima kroz usta (oralni dekstrozni gel) učinkovitiji od nikakvog liječenja ili drugih načina aktivnog liječenja u postizanju pravilne razine glukoze u krvi te umanjivanju dugoročnog odstupanja u neurorazvoju? Dosadašnje spoznaje Niska razina glukoze u krvi (hipoglikemija) u novorođenčadi je uobičajena i često se javlja u određenim rizičnim skupinama (novorođenčad s majkama koje imaju visoke razine...

Cochrane's incidents with Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube highlight the realities of Cochrane’s call against misinformation while protecting trusted sources. Cochrane’s Instagram posts have been removed, their Instagram account has been shadow banned, a Youtube video removed, and a Cochrane Library Twitter post about winning a prestigious award for trustworthy information was tagged as misleading.

Cochrane’s health evidence syntheses are recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information. Cochrane Library reviews are used to support global and national health guidelines and policy. We advocate for evidence-informed healthcare and make our trusted evidence accessible and available to all. One way we do this is using social media to reach different audiences. 

Cochrane has been the subject of several Instagram misinformation blunders. A post about a Cochrane Review on Ivermectin for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 being removed from the platform in August 2021, and it wasn't until July 2022 that the review notification came back saying it was because it 'goes against Community Guidelines'. Also Cochrane’s Instagram account has been denied the verification blue check mark several times. 

In March 2022, the prestigious Harding Prize for Useful and Trustworthy Communication was jointly awarded to by the ONS Covid Infection Survey and the Cochrane Review of Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19. The Harding Prize, run in association with Sense About Science and the Science Media Centre, and is supported by Sir David Harding,  goal is to draw attention to the unsung task of 'informing and not persuading' and celebrate those who were doing it well. The Harding Prize judges noted that the Cochrane Infectious Disease Group’s review of the evidence for the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19 used clear language, communicated straightforwardly, and with balance that that there was no benefit to hydroxychloroquine which outweighed the side effects and that trials of it should be stopped. This review was done with rigorous methodology and communicated with clarity and directness, which enabled policy makers, journalists, and the public to discuss and make decisions based on the best evidence. 

It was particularly ironic that a celebratory tweet from the Cochrane Library about winning an award for useful and trustworthy communication was tagged by Twitter for being misleading. This tag does not allow it to be replied to, shared, or liked. 

The latest fumble has been a webinar video being removed from Cochrane's YouTube channel for violating Community Guidelines. The video is a recording on the topic of research integrity, where Dónal O'Mathúna discussed findings from his recent study comparing different systematic reviews of the ivermectin literature. After appealing the removal, the video has be restored back to YouTube: 'Ethics and integrity in reviewing research: lessons from ivermectin'.

“Social media platforms are starting to act on mis/disinformation by tagging posts that are deemed misleading and penalizing repeat offenders. But they don't always get it correct - we are aware that other research publishers, such as the BMJ, have also experienced similar issues with Facebook”, says Catherine Spencer, Cochrane’s CEO. “Having Cochrane blocked and posts removed, while other misleading posts remain, illustrates the system needs urgent improvement. This 'censorship' on credible sources of information such as Cochrane underscores the need to not only guard against misinformation but that we urgently need better mechanisms to protect trusted information on social media.”

“These social media blunders come after the  launch of the Cochrane Convenes Report which highlights the parallel challenges of generating trust in evidence and countering mis/disinformation and calls for concrete action to address these issues”, says Cochrane’s Editor in Chief, Dr Karla Soares-Weiser. “There is an ongoing issue with how you hold those deliberately creating and sharing mis/disinformation to account and how you form accreditation and approval for official sources of evidence that have met certain quality control standards. We need to make it easier for people to access trustworthy information – and that includes on social media or YouTube.”

Cochrane is a proud supporter of WHO’s call to action on infodemic management and is currently collaborating with science communicators at Lifeology and the Association for Healthcare Social Media. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this recurrent issue with social media platforms directly and to work with others interested in supporting science communication. Write to us at cochrane@cochrane.org, and consider signing our call to action on trusted evidence for all in health emergencies.

• Cochrane Convenes website 
• Free Course: What is an infodemic and how can we prevent it?  Available in English, French, German, Malay, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish 
• Cochrane joint winner of 2021 Harding Prize for Useful and Trustworthy Communication

Friday, October 7, 2022

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Monday, March 14, 2022

The inaugural Harding Prize for Useful and Trustworthy Communication has been jointly won by the ONS Covid Infection Survey and the Cochrane Review of Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19.

The Winton Centre at the University of Cambridge launched the Harding Prize this year to celebrate individuals or teams who had communicated information in a trustworthy and useful way - that genuinely helped people decide what to do, or help them judge a decision made by others. The award was run in association with Sense About Science and the Science Media Centre, and is supported by Sir David Harding. The organisers wanted to draw attention to the unsung task of 'informing and not persuading' and celebrate those who were doing it well.

The Harding Prize aims to encourage evidence to be presented in a balanced, non-manipulative way, open to talking about pros and cons, and about uncertainties, designed to help the audience make up their own mind on a subject – not to lead them to the conclusions that the communicator wants them to draw.

Dr Bhagteshwar Singh, and his co-authors of the Cochrane Review, published by the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group said:  “We are honoured to receive this award. Our aim was to provide clinicians, policymakers and the public with a balanced, trustworthy, and clear account of the potential benefits and harms of hydroxychloroquine when used for COVID-19. This award confirms that our review was communicated clearly and transparently, which we are thrilled to hear.”

The organisers bought together an illustrious judging panel, comprising:

• Helen Boaden (Chair): previously Director of BBC News.
• Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam: Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England
• Baroness Onora O’Neill: philosopher and presenter of 2002 Reith Lectures on ‘A Question of Trust’
• Fraser Nelson: Editor, Spectator
• Helen Jamison: previously Deputy Director of the Science Media Centre.

The judges made the following comments about Cochrane as a joint winner:

As with all its projects, the Cochrane review worked to internationally agreed methodology and prioritised high quality (randomised) evidence. This particular review was a summary of the evidence for the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating Covid-19. Using clear language, it communicated straightforwardly and with balance that that there was no benefit to hydroxychloroquine which outweighed the side effects and that trials of it should be stopped. That decision was then made. 

This subject may seem minor in the UK where treatment by hydroxychloroquine was never a big part of medical discussion. However, many millions of people around the world, especially in the USA and Brazil, were encouraged by their leaders to take this treatment seriously. 

The panel felt that just as the ONS survey was the bedrock of accurate information about Covid-19 infection rates in the UK, the Cochrane approach delivered rigorous, trustworthy and balanced reviews of scientific papers communicated with clarity and directness. Such reviews enabled policy makers, journalists and the public to discuss and make decisions based on the best evidence. 

Helen Boaden, Chair of the judging panel, commented: “It's never been more important for the public and policy makers to have access to the best possible evidence before they make significant decisions for themselves or others. Both our winners set the gold standard  for clearly communicating accurate, trustworthy, transparent data without frills or spin. The panel is delighted to jointly award them the inaugural Harding Prize.”

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, Chair of the Winton Centre, said: “The panel considered many fine examples, and we are delighted with the examples that they chose. We had intended to have a booby, ‘weasel words’ prize for untrustworthy communication dressed up as an unbiased source. There were many possible candidates, particularly in social media and in scientific pre-prints that had not gone through any peer review. But we finally decided that it would be inappropriate to highlight, and indeed publicise, such poor practice, and instead chose to focus on the positive efforts people have made. The Royal Society’s recent report makes clear that online misinformation is best tackled, not through censorship, but by encouraging a diverse media, independent fact-checking, careful monitoring, and education.”

Tracey Brown, director of Sense about Science, said: “Statistics are the currency of public life. They are how we can describe the world and debate what is getting worse or better, and never more so than during the pandemic. We are so pleased to support the Harding prize in celebrating the individuals who have sought to equip people with the means to be part of those debates."

Fiona Fox, Chief Executive of the Science Media Centre, said: “These are fantastic winners. The brilliant thing about the ONS survey is that it was communicated independently from the government communications machine so that the media and the public got to see the numbers every week free from government messaging.  And in the middle of an ‘infodemic’ where 1000s of scientific papers of variable quality were circulating, Cochrane’s high quality review summarising where the best evidence lay on a much-hyped treatment undoubtedly saved lives.”

Emma Rourke, Director of health analysis and pandemic insight at ONS, said: :The Covid Infection Survey has required the skill and perseverance of a large and multi-talented team. At our core has been the need to communicate such an important and sensitive issue accurately to a diverse audience, and be trusted to do so. We are delighted with this award, and are gratified that the information we have provided has proved valuable to expert users and influential on policy, but also understood clearly by the public."

• Read the full Cochrane Review Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for prevention and treatment of COVID‐19
• Learn more about Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group
• Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Press Release

Monday, March 14, 2022 Category: The difference we make

Brivaracetam kao dodatak terapiji za epilepsiju otpornu na lijekove Dosadašnje spoznaje Epilepsija je poremećaj karakteriziran brojnim napadajima. Većina ljudi može je kontrolirati uporabom jednog antiepileptika; međutim, nekima treba više antiepileptika. Takvi ljudi imaju epilepsiju otpornu na lijekove. Brivaracetam je antiepileptik koji se može uzimati s nekim drugim antiepilepticima kako bi se kontrolirala epilepsija otporna na lijekove. Cilj ovog sustavnog pregleda Cilj ovog Cochraneovog sustavnog pregleda bio je utvrditi je li brivaracetam učinkovit i može li se tolerirati kada se...