Article type
Year
Abstract
Background:
The UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) contributes infrastructure funding of GBP 3 million to the Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) and GBP 1.5 million of direct review funding, on an annual basis. “NIHR investment in systematic reviews means our health and care services have access to the best possible evidence to inform decisions and choices” (Professor Dame Sally Davies, CMO, England).
Objectives:
To consider the impact of NIHR infrastructure and direct funding during the period January 2007 to December 2012 on the number of reviews published, and subsequent clinical guideline production.
Methods:
The number of new or updated reviews produced by CRGs supported by infrastructure and Cochrane Programme grant and incentive award direct funding is reported in annual or progress reports to NIHR. The annual reports also list those reviews that are cited in clinical guidelines for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and topic-relevant organisations. The number of NIHR funded reviews will be compared to the total number of Cochrane Reviews produced to provide a percentage value. The subsequent number of NIHR reviews that have informed guidelines will also be reported.
Results:
During the period January 2007 to December 2013, 3245 new or updated reviews were produced by 20 infrastructure-funded UK-based CRGs. A further 846 were produced during this period via direct additional funding to some CRGs, including some outside the UK. In total, this represents 81% of the total number of reviews produced across Cochrane. In addition, as at 19 November 2013, 176 guidelines have included 589 reviews produced by NIHR funded UK-based CRGs.
Conclusions:
In this reporting period, NIHR funding supported 81% of Cochrane's review production, which represents a significant investment with an appropriately significant return. Other Cochrane funders may wish to consider implementing their own direct funding streams to increase the number, while maintaining quality, of overall reviews produced worldwide.
The UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) contributes infrastructure funding of GBP 3 million to the Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) and GBP 1.5 million of direct review funding, on an annual basis. “NIHR investment in systematic reviews means our health and care services have access to the best possible evidence to inform decisions and choices” (Professor Dame Sally Davies, CMO, England).
Objectives:
To consider the impact of NIHR infrastructure and direct funding during the period January 2007 to December 2012 on the number of reviews published, and subsequent clinical guideline production.
Methods:
The number of new or updated reviews produced by CRGs supported by infrastructure and Cochrane Programme grant and incentive award direct funding is reported in annual or progress reports to NIHR. The annual reports also list those reviews that are cited in clinical guidelines for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and topic-relevant organisations. The number of NIHR funded reviews will be compared to the total number of Cochrane Reviews produced to provide a percentage value. The subsequent number of NIHR reviews that have informed guidelines will also be reported.
Results:
During the period January 2007 to December 2013, 3245 new or updated reviews were produced by 20 infrastructure-funded UK-based CRGs. A further 846 were produced during this period via direct additional funding to some CRGs, including some outside the UK. In total, this represents 81% of the total number of reviews produced across Cochrane. In addition, as at 19 November 2013, 176 guidelines have included 589 reviews produced by NIHR funded UK-based CRGs.
Conclusions:
In this reporting period, NIHR funding supported 81% of Cochrane's review production, which represents a significant investment with an appropriately significant return. Other Cochrane funders may wish to consider implementing their own direct funding streams to increase the number, while maintaining quality, of overall reviews produced worldwide.