On 27 July 2018, BMJ EBM published an analysis [1] that outlined problems with Cochrane’s systematic review of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which we shall refer to as the Cochrane HPV Review, published in May 2018; this included missing eligible trials, reporting bias, and biased trial designs and conflicts of interest. [2,3] In […]
Category: Evidence Synthesis
Response to Cochrane editors: Jørgensen, Gøtzsche and Jefferson
Jørgensen, 1Gøtzsche 1 and Jefferson 1 consider their analysis was appropriate and that the Cochrane editors substantially ignored several of their criticisms. 1Nordic Cochrane Centre, Rigshospitalet 7811, Tagensvej 21, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally posted at: The Cochrane HPV vaccine review was incomplete and ignored important evidence of bias: Response to the Cochrane editors. at BMJ EBM on 17 September […]
Cochrane – A sinking ship?
By Maryanne Demasi, PhD A scandal has erupted within the Cochrane Collaboration, the world’s most prestigious scientific organisation devoted to independent reviews of health care interventions. One of its highest profile board members has been sacked, resulting in four other board members staging a mass exodus. They are protesting, what they describe as, the […]
Weight loss drugs effects on CVD remains unproven.
Approved weight-loss medications have only modest effects on cardiovascular risk. Igho Onakpoya One rationale for the development and marketing of weight loss drugs is that their use will improve cardiac risk factors. In a recent systematic review and network meta-analysis [1] of 28 randomised controlled trials (29,018 participants), the authors concluded that the effects […]
What makes a systematic review “complex”?
Originally published on BMJ Opinion Kamal R Mahtani, Tom Jefferson, and Carl Heneghan discuss: What makes a systematic review “complex”? Systematic reviews involve systematically searching for all available evidence, appraising the quality of the included studies, and synthesising the evidence into a useable form. They contribute to the pool of best available evidence, translating […]
EBM library: Systematic reviews to support humanitarian medicine
The EBM library signposts some essential reading for the practice of Evidence-Based Medicine. In this part of the library, we highlight the role of systematic reviews in humanitarian medicine. Kamal Mahtani Systematic reviews have made significant contributions to the pool of best available evidence in healthcare. In a previous post, I explored the importance of […]
EBM library: Systematic reviews in policymaking – part 2
The EBM library signposts some essential reading for the practice of Evidence-Based Medicine. In this part of the library, we highlight papers that reflect the role of systematic reviews in policymaking. Kamal Mahtani In part 1 of this series two papers highlighted why systematic reviews are important in policymaking, and some challenges this may bring. In […]