The Cochrane US Network, made up of some of the country’s leading institutions in the research and practice of evidence-based medicine, announced Tuesday the opening of 11 new affiliates across the country including one at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
These new affiliates will join Cochrane’s 70 other groups around the world to promote evidence-informed decision making in health care by supporting and training systematic review authors and users of Cochrane Reviews, as well as working with clinicians, professional associations, policymakers, patients, health care provider organizations and the media to encourage the dissemination and use of Cochrane evidence.
Robert Dellavalle, MD, PhD, MSPH, professor of dermatology at the CU School of Medicine
“Cochrane is a leading evidence-based medicine organization, so it’s a very big deal to be a site that is tied to that effort,” said Robert Dellavalle, MD, PhD, MSPH, a professor of dermatology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, who will lead the CU Anschutz affiliate. “Cochrane is known for having some of the best methodology for doing systematic review of evidence and they are highly cited in the field.”
The Cochrane US Network is made up of the existing Cochrane US West Associate Center based at Oregon Health & Science University; three Cochrane Review Groups producing systematic reviews in neonatal health, fertility regulation and urological conditions; three US satellites of Cochrane Review Groups focusing on eyes and vision, pregnancy and childbirth and musculoskeletal disease; one field specializing in complementary medicine. The 11 new affiliate institutions include:
- AcademyHealth
- American College of Physicians
- Central Michigan University
- Cornell University
- Mayo Clinic Evidence-based Practice Center
- Penn Medicine Center for Evidence-based Practice
- RTI International – University of North Carolina Evidence-based Practice Center
- Texas Christian University
- University of Chicago Medicine
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
- University of Maryland School of Medicine
Mark Wilson, Cochrane CEO, said: “I am delighted to see such a prestigious and committed group of US institutions and leaders in evidence-informed health care join Cochrane’s global family of collaborators."
“Many of these researchers and clinicians are leaders in the field, and I am excited by the expertise, innovation and knowledge they will bring to our mission of delivering trusted evidence into health policy and clinical decision-making,” Wilson said. “The US health system is the largest and most sophisticated in the world, yet suffers from huge inequalities in health outcomes and tremendous wastefulness.”
Wilson believes a vibrant Cochrane Network promoting greater use of evidence showing what health interventions work and what don’t can make a real difference.
“I hope that this new – already extensive – network will grow further and welcome many more partners in the years to come,” he said.
These new Cochrane affiliates each have their own specific areas of expertise and focus. Collectively, the Network will focus on producing high quality evidence on priority topics for the US; providing training to systematic review authors and health care practitioners, policymakers and others in the interpretation of Cochrane Reviews. It will also raise the general awareness around Cochrane evidence to make well-informed health and health care decisions. The new Network will build on the work of the former US Cochrane Center based at Johns Hopkins University.
“The establishment of the US Network is an important development for Cochrane as well as the health care community in the U.S.,” said Marguerite Koster, co-chair of the Cochrane Governing Board. “Coordination and collaboration are core values of the Network because we strongly believe we can add value by working together as a consortium. I very much look forward to the start of the network and to seeing it develop and grow as a platform for anyone interested in evidence-informed health and health care in the US.”
A formal launch of the new ‘Cochrane US Network’ was held today in Washington DC. During the launch meeting Cochrane CEO, Mark Wilson, and Governing Board co-chair, Marguerite Koster, introduced the US Network. Additionally, representatives from the Network will introduce their institutions and planned work, and speak to the value of being part of the Network.
The Cochrane US Network is part of Cochrane, a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, careers and people interested in health. Cochrane produces reviews which study all of the best available evidence generated through research and make it easier to inform decisions about health. Cochrane is a not-for profit organization with over 65,000 members and supporters from more than 130 countries working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest. Cochrane’s work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.
