Cochrane

🎉 Dr Ashrita Saran will be joining us as a speaker at our next Cochrane Colloquium in Krakow, Poland, this December! Dr Ashrita Saran, Director of Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis at the Global Development Network, holds a doctorate in international public health and public policy. With a wealth of experience covering public health, child wellbeing, and social development, she is the author of more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, including pioneering systematic reviews, rapid evidence assessments, and evidence and gap maps. She has held numerous leadership positions in global evidence networks, serving as the Editor of Campbell’s Climate Solutions Coordinating Group, the Capacity Building Coordination Lead for the Cochrane-Campbell Equity Methods Group, and the former Co-Chair of the Evidence Synthesis Infrastructure Collaborative's Working Group on Safe and Responsible Use of AI. She has worked extensively with major international organizations, including the WHO, UNICEF, and FCDO, producing high-impact evidence products on critical topics such as climate resilience, child well-being, and disability rights. At the forefront of modern methodology, Dr Saran is currently working to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning, exploring the integration of advanced automation into review workflows and contributing to the Responsible and Safe Use of AI in Evidence Synthesis (RAISE) guidance. To hear more from Dr Saran and the importance of the work she has been contributing to, join us and register for the Cochrane Colloquium this December and claim your early bird tickets before Friday, 19 June!👉️ https://lnkd.in/eknVNQb4

Following a busy week at the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA), we’re reflecting on the inspiring conversations and high-level discussions Cochrane had the privilege of being involved in. Held at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, the WHA is the decision-making body for the World Health Organization, attended by representatives of all Member States, as well as non-governmental organizations and funding organizations. Cochrane’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Karla Soares-Weiser, was in attendance, participating in three events that were held on the sidelines of WHA. Find out more ➡️https://lnkd.in/e7Hehphp

What factors should you consider when deciding whether to use an AI tool in your work? From searching and screening to drafting text, AI tools offer the promise of increased efficiency. But with promise comes responsibility. Ella Flemyng, Cochrane’s Head of Editorial Policy and Research Integrity, highlights what you need to consider when deciding whether to use an AI tool, and when you might decide not to. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eMqC9Mha

🐣 Early bird registration for this year's Cochrane Colloquium in Krakow has been extended! 🎉 Hear from a range of exciting speakers and be included in discussions teeming with fresh knowledge and expertise. Register below and claim your discounted tickets by Friday, 19 June! 👉️ https://lnkd.in/eknVNQb4

Can glasses with blue-light filtering lenses improve eye health? 👓️ Blue-light filtering lenses, also known as blue-light blocking spectacles, have been increasingly prescribed or recommended by opticians and eye care professionals since the early 2000s. They can be more expensive than standard lenses that don't filter blue light. A Cochrane review, published in 2023, analyzed 17 trials across 6 different countries comparing glasses with blue-light filtering lenses with standard lenses. The review found glasses with blue-light filtering lenses probably make no difference to eye strain caused by computer use or to sleep quality. Nor did the findings show any evidence that blue-light filtering lenses protect against damage to the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Potential harmful effects were temporary and generally mild, and mostly thought to be related to the glasses more generally rather than specifically the lenses themselves. Read more in our news item: https://lnkd.in/ekzTDa67

⚠️ Early registration for the next Cochrane Colloquium in Krakow this December ends at midnight tonight! Join a meeting of the minds to debate and discuss the future of evidence-informed decision making. Some of the speakers already confirmed include: Isabel Fletcher, Evidence Synthesis Lead at the Wellcome Trust, holds a PhD in statistical modelling from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London and oversees a portfolio of data science and AI investments focused on global health challenges. Having previously led major initiatives spanning climate and health, digital tooling, and data integration, she is well versed in advancing the responsible use of AI and embedding the development and uptake of living evidence across health systems. While previously working in academia, studying the impacts of climate variability and change on human health, she contributed to IPCC assessment reports and held roles at the WHO and World Meteorological Organization. Dr Ashrita Saran, Director of Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis at the Global Development Network, holds a doctorate in international public health and public policy. With over a decade of experience working across public health, child wellbeing, and social development, she has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, including pioneering systematic reviews, rapid evidence assessments, and evidence and gap maps. Her work includes extensive collaboration with major international organizations, such as the WHO, UNICEF, and FCDO. She is currently leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to integrate advanced automation into review workflows and has contributed to the Responsible and Safe Use of AI in Evidence Synthesis (RAISE) guidance. Rafael José Vieira, medical doctor, Assistant professor at Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, and Researcher at RISE-Health | Research and Development Unit, holds a PhD in Clinical and Health Service Research. He has contributed to multiple clinical practice guidelines and holds over 80 peer-reviewed publications spanning health technology assessment, evidence synthesis, causal inference, and real-world data to inform healthcare decision-making. He is also involved in methodological work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, planetary health, and guideline development. Join the conversation and claim your discounted tickets before midnight tonight! 👉️ https://lnkd.in/eknVNQb4

A Cochrane system for checking whether any of its thousands of published reviews include retracted studies has already turned up dozens of reviews that do and will now get closer scrutiny to ensure their results and recommendations hold up.

As part of our commitment to the highest standards of evidence, we are strengthening how we identify and manage retracted publications associated with studies included in published or identified in ongoing Cochrane reviews. This includes: 📊 using new data and automation to flag retracted studies at scale ⚙️ introducing processes to identify and address retractions after publication 📑 providing a new framework to help review teams and editors assess the impact of retractions consistently and transparently Maintaining trustworthy evidence requires robust standards both before and after publication. Read the full article to learn more about these developments and the next steps for authors and editors: https://lnkd.in/ekcCdvM2 #SystematicReviews #ResearchIntegrity

🎉 Try Classmate's premium subscription for free! Designed for educators, Classmate helps you teach evidence-based research in a structured, measurable, and engaging way. Sign up for the free trial and explore all our best features: ✅️ Access additional tasks and activities, including DTA Identification, PICO Extract, Key Concepts in Health Research, Study Design for Complete Beginners, Introduction to CONSORT, and Introducing Health Equity. ✅️ Save time on your planning by exploring prebuilt pathways, such as the student and newcomer pathways, and custom-built pathways tailored to your teaching preferences, using a combination of learning tasks and activities available in Classmate. ✅️ Create detailed reports, downloadable as PDFs or CSVs, detect improvements over time in trend metrics, and lots more. Claim your free trial and see what Classmate has to offer 👉️https://lnkd.in/gfV_NzzF

Can short bursts of intense exercise improve heart health and reduce the risk of disease? 🏋️ Exercise is a simple, affordable, and effective way to reduce the risk of heart disease, especially for people who are not active. Regular exercise directly regulates blood pressure, lowers cholesterol levels, stabilizes blood sugar, and helps maintain a healthy bodyweight. The risk of then developing conditions like heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes is much lower. However, many people don't meet the level of physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization. Published earlier this year, a new Cochrane review examined whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) works better than regular or no exercise to improve heart health in people who are inactive but still healthy. What did the evidence of 58 trials including 2075 adults find? 🏋️ HIIT appears to improve fitness and reduce waist circumference compared with doing no exercise, although it does not seem to affect blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, or triglyceride levels. 🏋️ Compared with steady moderate-intensity exercise, HIIT may provide a small additional improvement in fitness, but shows no clear advantage for blood pressure, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, or triglycerides. 🏋️ HIIT appears to be as effective as moderate-intensity exercise for improving cardiovascular health and lowering the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Read the full review in the Cochrane Library: https://lnkd.in/e8-mGqS3