Cochrane is delighted to announce the official launch of Cochrane Rehabilitation.

Cochrane Rehabilitation is a global network of individuals, involved in the production, dissemination, and implementation of evidence-informed clinical practice in rehabilitation.

The new Cochrane Field will promote and advocate for using the best evidence within the rehabilitation world, including physical therapy, speech and occupational therapy, prosthetics and orthotics, psychology, and physical medicine to inform clinical decision-making.

With more than 230 collaborators from 49 countries expressing their willingness to join, Cochrane Rehabilitation members can contribute individually or work in teams with other colleagues to review and strengthen methodology relevant to evidence-informed clinical practice within the field of rehabilitation, combining the best available evidence as gathered by high-quality Cochrane systematic reviews, with their own clinical expertise and the values of patients. 

The Cochrane Rehabilitation headquarters will be located at the "E. Spalenza” Don Gnocchi Centre, Largo Paolo VI, Rovato (Brescia), Italy in collaboration with the University of Brescia and Don Gnocchi Foundation.

Cochrane Rehabilitation will promote evidence-based decision making in rehabilitation by supporting and training new authors of Cochrane Reviews, as well as working with clinicians, professional associations, policy-makers, patients, and the media to encourage the dissemination and use of evidence in rehabilitation.

Cochrane Rehabilitation is part of Cochrane, a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers, and people interested in health. Cochrane works with collaborators from more than 130 countries 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.

Cochrane Rehabilitation will be led by Director Stefano Negrini, MD (Italy) and co-ordinated by Carlotte Kiekens, MD (Belgium). They will be directly responsible for the knowledge translation strategy and assisted by an executive committee, composed of William Levack, PT (New Zealand), Frane Grubisic, MD (Croatia), Elena Ilieva, MD (Bulgaria), Francesca Gimigliano, MD (Italy), Thorsten Meyer, Psy (Germany), Julia Patrick Engkasan, MD (Malaysia) and Antti Malmivaara, MD (Finland).

An advisory Board will also work alongside the operational team, and include key individuals recognized as opinion leaders in rehabilitation.

The Director of Cochrane Rehabilitation, Stefano Negrini, says this is a hugely exciting opportunity: “The launch of Cochrane Rehabilitation is very important. Producing and increasing the dissemination of the best available information on health care is critical for clinicians and patients everywhere in the world, especially in rehabilitation. Cochrane Rehabilitation will drive, on one side, evidence and methods developed by Cochrane to the world of rehabilitation and, on the other, convey priorities, needs and specificities of rehabilitation to Cochrane.”

Cochrane’s CEO, Mark Wilson, warmly welcomed today’s news: “I am delighted we are announcing the launch of Cochrane Rehabilitation which will deepen and expand the scope, reach, and impact of Cochrane activities on health and healthcare decision making across the world. This is also an important announcement for global health research. Cochrane Rehabilitation will promote recognition of studies conducted and published in rehabilitation and this will not only simply increase the access of evidence, but also promote the sharing of clinical experiences globally.”

Dr Carlotte Kiekens, Coordinator of Cochrane Rehabilitation, added, “This is an excellent opportunity for scientific growth, and gives us the chance to train students and a future generation of clinicians and researchers to develop high-quality research. Our chance to support health professionals in improving their decision making based on the best available evidence will support patient care.” Dr Kiekens concluded, “This is an innovation for rehabilitation and we intend to collaborate for the dissemination of Cochrane Reviews and to support Cochrane in reaching its 2020 strategic objectives.”

Visit the Cochrane Rehabilitation website

Watch a series of congratulatory messages from members of the rehabilitation community