Anne Anderson Award

Anne Anderson was a contributor to the stream of thinking and effort that gave birth to evidence-based health care. A clinically qualified reproductive physiologist, Anne had an active interest in women’s health, co-editing the first edition of Women’s Problems in General Practice (1983) with Ann McPherson. Anne also contributed to Effectiveness and Satisfaction in Antenatal Care (1982), edited by Murray Enkin and Iain Chalmers, and was discussing, with Marc Keirse and Iain Chalmers, the possibility of co-editing a companion volume on elective birth. However, her premature death from breast cancer in 1983 ended her involvement. Iain Chalmers, Murray Enkin and Marc Keirse went on to publish Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth (ECPC) in 1989, dedicating the book in part to Anne. ECPC, through its systematic approach to assessing the research literature, is widely acknowledged to have led to development of a similar project for all of medicine and health, The Cochrane Collaboration. Anne Anderson was 46 years old when she died.

In the footsteps of Anne Anderson, many outstanding women continue to contribute and inspire other women to improve health knowledge for the good of their communities. Often these women are quiet achievers who might otherwise not be recognized.

The goal of the Anne Anderson Award is to recognize and stimulate individuals contributing to the enhancement of women’s visibility and participation in the Cochrane leadership. The award is given to a member of the Cochrane Collaboration who has contributed meaningfully to the promotion of women as leaders and contributors to the Cochrane Collaboration. The establishment of the Award was approved by the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group in principle in 2010, and will be awarded for the first time in 2011. At its meeting in Split in March 2011, the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group agreed to put 1000 GBP per year for three years towards the newly established Anne Anderson Award from core funds. Additional donations may be made via the 'Donate now!' button on the Collaboration website, earmarked 'The Cochrane Collaboration Anne Anderson Award'. 

The Award recipients are announced at the Cochrane Colloquium each year. The recipient will receive a plaque from the Cochrane Collaboration honoring their contributions. The cash award will be designated by the recipient to assist a woman from a low resource setting with her Cochrane Collaboration activities. 

Past or current active women members of The Cochrane Collaboration are eligible for the award. Recipients will be selected based on the following criteria: emotional and cognitive intelligence, serving as an inspiration to others, evidence of cumulative accomplishment, originality and independence of thought, personal qualities, team building, leadership and mentorship. We will also consider in the selection process the nominee’s contribution to or enhancement of women’s visibility within the Collaboration, participation in The Cochrane Collaboration and other leadership, and other accomplishments within the context of The Cochrane Collaboration.

Nominations can be made by anyone within The Cochrane Collaboration. A one-page letter of nomination summarizing the nominee’s involvement in The Cochrane Collaboration and how she meets the criteria listed above should be submitted. The nomination letter should include specific examples of her contribution to the enhancement of women’s visibility and participation in the Cochrane leadership. These contributions may include, but are not limited to, mentoring, training, encouraging, supporting and promoting women for their work in The Cochrane Collaboration, as well as serving as a role model and inspiration. Deliberate use of multiple nominators is discouraged. 

The deadline for receipt of nominations is 31 August. The nominations should be sent to the Cochrane Operations Unit, please (secretariat@cochrane.org) with ‘Anne Anderson Award’ in the subject heading. 

Lisa Bero, Chair of the Anne Anderson Award Selection Committee

This information can also be found in section 2.4.5 of the Policy Manual.

Award recipients

2011 - Caroline Crowther, Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group.