2.2.5 Publication of versions of Cochrane Reviews in print journals

Authors: Cochrane Editorial Unit (Harriet MacLehose and David Tovey) and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (Bryony Urquhart and Deborah Pentesco-Gilbert).

This version published on 7 April 2011; minor copy edits made on 14 April 2011.

1.   Introduction

The Cochrane Collaboration’s mission statement is to make up-to-date, accurate information about the effects of health care readily available worldwide. In pursuit of this, there may be circumstances where in order to achieve the widest possible dissemination and impact of review findings it is desirable to pursue ‘co-publication’ in other and appropriate journals. The co-publication of Cochrane Reviews in journals should, however, be the exception rather than the rule and, as such, this policy document details the steps that need to be taken to ensure acceptable co-publication.

The underlying principles that need to govern this include the following:

• Honesty and transparency are crucial, both in relation to the editorial teams of the Cochrane Review Group (CRG), the review authors, and other journals, and also to inform the reader that different versions of the same data exist.
• The needs of end users are the prevailing consideration but the wellbeing of the Collaboration, the Cochrane brand, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) are also crucial to any decision.
• Cochrane Review authors and CRG editorial teams who have contributed to the development of a Cochrane Review should be involved in any decision-making in relation to co-publication.
• The primary publication of a Cochrane Review (and subsequent updates) is usually in the CDSR; any exception to this would need agreement from the Editor in Chief.
• Co-publication requires the permission of all the authors on the by-line of the Cochrane Review.
• Solutions need to be consistent with the guidance of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), particularly the section on overlapping publication (www.icmje.org/publishing_4overlap.html; accessed 7 April 2010).


1.1   When is a Cochrane Review submitted for publication in the CDSR?

The ICMJE considers it to be unethical to submit an article to a journal when it is already being considered for publication elsewhere. Cochrane Reviews are considered as submitted for publication in the CDSR once the decision has been made to publish the Protocol. This is made clear in the formal letter sent to authors upon signing the ‘licence for publication’ form for the Protocol (letters to be sent from 1 January 2011). This letter, from the Editor in Chief of The Cochrane Library, indicates that authors are not free from that point to send their Cochrane Review to another journal without permission from the CRG’s Co-ordinating Editor and the Editor in Chief of The Cochrane Library. CRGs commit to keeping authors in touch with the development and editorial processing of their Cochrane Review when it has been submitted to the editorial team, and to responding to queries from authors in a timely fashion. If CRGs fail to meet this commitment to communicate appropriately, then authors may be in the position to justify a release from the agreement to publish in CDSR.

1.2   Format of a co-published article

The standard format for co-publication of a Cochrane Review is an abridged version, and the co-publication of a complete Cochrane Review would be an exceptional circumstance. It is likely that a co-publishing journal will request that the abridged version of the Cochrane Review is peer reviewed and edited according to the journal’s editorial process, and it is possible that the authors will receive additional edits or feedback as part of this process. If appropriate, authors of the Cochrane Review should take these changes into account in the next update of the Cochrane Review. If, during the journal peer review process, authors are asked to change the way they present the review data (e.g. the results and/or conclusions change) in comparison to the CDSR version, the authors should discuss this with the CRG (and Editor in Chief of The Cochrane Library, if necessary).

2.   Scenarios addressed in this policy

This policy addresses the following potential scenarios:

2.1. Publishing summaries of Cochrane Reviews in another journal or resource (e.g. a ‘Cochrane Corner’).
2.2. ‘Prior publication’: publication in a journal before publication in the CDSR.
2.3. ‘Simultaneous publication’: publication in a journal on the same or similar date.
2.4. ‘Post-publication’: publishing in a journal after publication in the CDSR.
2.5. Co-publishing Cochrane Review updates.
2.6. Republication of Cochrane Reviews in official Cochrane journals (e.g. Evidence-Based Child Health: A Cochrane Review Journal).
2.7. Converting systematic reviews (non-Cochrane) to Cochrane Reviews.

2.1   Publishing summaries of Cochrane Reviews in another journal or resource (e.g. a ‘Cochrane Corner’)

Republishing Cochrane abstracts and/or plain language summaries in journals (e.g. 'Cochrane Corners') with or without additional commentary is an effective dissemination tool for keeping specialist audiences abreast of the most recent evidence published in the CDSR. Each journal publishing a 'Cochrane Corner' or similar feature needs to request permission to republish Cochrane Review abstracts and plain language summaries, and can do this by applying directly to The Cochrane Library publishers, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, for permission. Journal editors should contact Deborah Pentesco-Gilbert (dpentesc@wiley.com) to discuss the arrangements. Commentaries published in addition to a Cochrane Review abstract or plain language summary should clearly differentiate between the author(s) of the commentary and the author(s) of the Cochrane Review (i.e. it should not appear that a Cochrane Review has been published by a different set of authors).

The list of journals or resources with signed agreements to publish summaries of Cochrane Reviews is available (see Appendix 1).

2.2   ‘Prior publication’: publication in a journal before publication in the CDSR

Publishing the completed Cochrane Review in a journal before publication in the CDSR is almost always an inferior option to ‘simultaneous publication’ and should be reserved for exceptional circumstances. Authors considering this option should first contact the Managing Editor of the relevant CRG with a completed ‘Permission to co-publish’ form (Appendix 2). The Managing Editor will refer each case to the Cochrane Editorial Unit (CEU) for permission; contact editorial-unit@cochrane.org and ensure that the subject line of your email clearly states “Co-publication query”. The authors, the CRG and the journal will be required to follow all steps outlined in the ‘Requirements for co-publication’ (section 3).

Authors should also be aware that submitting an abridged version of a Cochrane Review (completed or in progress) to a journal, without the permission of the CRG and CEU, and with the intention that the journal version is published first, may be considered duplicate submission. In such cases the CRG and the CEU will be guided by the procedures outlined by the Committee for Publication Ethics (COPE; www.publicationethics.org) and the ICMJE.

Before proceeding along this route, authors must consider the following.

• The journal editor may consider the publication to be redundant (duplicate) publication, that is, “publication of a paper that overlaps substantially with one already published in print or electronic media” (www.icmje.org/publishing_4overlap.html; accessed 7 April 2010). This could potentially lead to limitations being imposed on publication of the Cochrane Review in the CDSR, which are unacceptable to The Cochrane Collaboration.
• Authors of published Cochrane Reviews have granted The Cochrane Collaboration an exclusive licence for publication (available in the Cochrane Policy Manual: www.cochrane.org/policy-manual/227-copyright-licence-publication-forms) for the Cochrane Review, meaning that the Cochrane Review cannot be published elsewhere without permission, and the journal editor needs to be aware of this.

Authors considering this option should first contact the relevant Managing Editor of the CRG for permission (using the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form, in Appendix 2). The CRG will refer each case to the CEU; contact editorial-unit@cochrane.org and ensure that the subject line of your email clearly states “Co-publication query”. The authors, the CRG and the journal will all be required to follow the steps outlined below in the ‘Requirements for co-publication’ (section 3).

2.4   ‘Post-publication’: publishing in a journal after publication in the CDSR

There may be instances when the authors feel that subsequent publication of an abridged version of a published Cochrane Review in another journal would be in the public interest. In these cases the journal is likely to be a specialist publication (reaching a specialist audience) or published in a language other than English (reaching a new audience). Before proceeding along this route, authors must consider the following.

• The editor of the other journal may consider the publication to be redundant (duplicate) publication, that is, “publication of a paper that overlaps substantially with one already published in print or electronic media” (www.icmje.org/publishing_4overlap.html; accessed 7 April 2010).
• Authors of published Cochrane Reviews have granted The Cochrane Collaboration an exclusive licence for publication for the Cochrane Review, and the journal editor needs to be aware of this.

Authors considering this option should first contact the Managing Editor of the relevant Cochrane Review Group (using the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form, Appendix 2). The authors, the CRG, and the journal will all be required to follow the steps outlined below in the ‘Requirements for co-publication’ section (below).

If the journal has already signed a Cochrane co-publication agreement (listed in Appendix 3) the CRG can grant permission without referring the case to the CEU, although the CRG will ensure that the CEU is aware of each permission granted by sending a copy of the completed ‘Permission to co-publish’ form to the CEU. If, however, the journal has not yet signed a co-publication agreement, or if the journal appears on the list of high-profile journals (Appendix 4), the case will be referred to the CEU for permission (contact editorial-unit@cochrane.org and ensure that the subject line of your email clearly states “Co-publication query”). The CEU will ask Wiley to ensure that the journal signs a Cochrane co-publication agreement and that permission is granted to the author. The CEU will inform the CRG of the decision, and the CRG will communicate the decision to the author.

2.5   Co-publishing Cochrane Review updates

Keeping Cochrane Reviews up-to-date in response to new evidence, feedback, and methodology is a responsibility for authors and CRGs. An updated version will be based substantially on the previous version of the published Cochrane Review. Authors must consider the following when considering this option.

• Cochrane Reviews should be updated in the CDSR. Any decision to co-publish an updated Cochrane Review in a journal must involve discussion with both the CRG and CEU.
• The co-publication of any updated Cochrane Review must be substantially different to any previous co-publication of the same Review (e.g. the conclusions are different).
• The editor of the journal may consider the publication to be redundant (duplicate) publication, that is, “publication of a paper that overlaps substantially with one already published in print or electronic media” (www.icmje.org/publishing_4overlap.html; accessed 7 April 2010).
  • Authors of published Cochrane Reviews have granted The Cochrane Collaboration an exclusive licence for publication for the Cochrane Review, and the journal editor needs to be aware of this.

For permission to co-publish an updated version of a Cochrane Review, please contact the Managing Editor of your CRG, using the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form (Appendix 2); your case may be referred to the Cochrane Editorial Unit for further guidance. The guidance given in the ‘Requirements for co-publication’ section should also be followed.

Author teams should also refer to the formal letter sent from the Editor in Chief of The Cochrane Library to authors upon publication of a Cochrane Review. The letter describes that published Cochrane Review authors have a duty to: (1) seek permission if they wish to publish elsewhere; (2) inform the CRG; and (3) cite their Cochrane Review in any co-published versions. The letter also states the services that authors can expect from the CRG, including support for the updating search, and the expectations on either side, including the commitment by CRGs to be responsive and timely with feedback.

2.6   Republication of Cochrane Reviews in official Cochrane journals (e.g. Evidence-Based Child Health: A Cochrane Review Journal)

Cochrane Reviews may be selected for publication in official Cochrane Collaboration journals, which at the moment comprises only one journal title (Evidence-Based Child Health: a Cochrane Review Journal), but may in the future include additional journal titles. Copyright for republication of Cochrane Reviews in official Cochrane Collaboration publications is covered in the Cochrane Licence for Publication form, which grants an exclusive licence to The Cochrane Collaboration for publication in the CDSR and in any derivative products. The authors are always informed when their Cochrane Review has been selected for republication in an official Cochrane Collaboration journal.

When Cochrane Reviews are republished in full in a Cochrane journal (e.g. in Evidence-Based Child Health: A Cochrane Review Journal) the authors may still seek to co-publish an abridged version of the Cochrane Review in another journal when the aim is to reach a new audience by shortening the Review and making it accessible for a certain audience (e.g. for clinicians). In these cases, permission should still be sought via the CRG in the usual way (outlined below in the ‘Requirements for co-publication’ section). The authors are responsible for ensuring that the co-publishing journal is aware that the Review appears not only in the CDSR but also in Evidence-Based Child Health.

Note that the Overviews of Reviews (i.e. not Cochrane Reviews) published in the journal Evidence-Based Child Health are already abridged for a journal readership and they are not available for co-publishing in any other journal.

2.7   Converting systematic reviews (non-Cochrane) to Cochrane Reviews

There may be instances when authors wish to convert a non-Cochrane systematic review into a Cochrane Review so that it can be included within the CDSR and updated thereafter. In these cases, the journal in which the systematic review was first published is the primary publication and the CDSR is the secondary publication. Authors of these systematic reviews need to be mindful of any licence for publication forms (or copyright forms) signed for the primary (journal) publication.

If authors are considering converting a non-Cochrane systematic review to a Cochrane Review, then the following additional steps need to be taken:

1. The authors should inform the journal editor (of the primary publication) and obtain consent. The journal editor may also refer the authors to the publisher for permission.
2. When considering conversion, the author must make a complete statement to the CRG’s Managing Editor about the journal article (primary publication), which may be regarded as redundant or duplicate publication.
3. The CRG’s Co-ordinating Editor will decide whether the conversion is in the interests of the CDSR and its readers, and whether processing the review is an appropriate use of time of the CRG's editorial team and its peer reviewers and editors. The CRG should determine this in the context of its own priorities and is at absolute liberty to decline the title. Equally, the CRG might decide that the needs of users would be better realized by delaying conversion and setting an updated search date in order to incorporate new studies, which might change the findings of the review.
4. The Acknowledgements section of the Cochrane Review should inform readers and documenting agencies that the paper has been published previously in whole or in part, and state the primary reference (journal article). The full reference to the primary publication (journal article) should be included in the section ‘Other published versions of this review’.


3.   Requirements for co-publication

The points listed below outline the process for co-publishing a Cochrane Review in another journal. The first contact for any query should be the Managing Editor of their CRG. The Managing Editor may (and in some circumstances outlined below must) refer the case for advice to the CEU (contact editorial-unit@cochrane.org and ensure that the subject line of your email clearly states “Co-publication query”) or the publishers (Deborah Pentesco-Gilbert (dpentesc@wiley.com).

1. For all instances of co-publication, the authors should approach the CRG’s Managing Editor using the ‘Permission to co-publish form’ ( Appendix 2). Permission will not be unreasonably withheld.
2. If the authors propose publishing an abridged version in a journal:

       a) before publication in the CDSR (prior publication) – the CRG will refer the case to the CEU for permission.

       b) at the same time as publication in the CDSR (simultaneous publication) – the CRG will refer the case to the CEU for permission or inform the CRG if there is an existing co-publication agreement with the journal.

       c) after publication in the CDSR (post-publication) but either the journal has not yet signed a Cochrane co-publication agreement (check the list in Appendix 3) or if the journal appears on the list of high-profile journals (Appendix 4) – the CRG will refer the case to the CEU for permission. The CEU will consult with the CRG, the authors, and the journal, as necessary. The CEU will ask Wiley to ensure that the journal signs a Cochrane co-publication agreement and that permission is granted to the author. The CEU will inform the CRG of the decision, and the CRG will communicate the decision to the author.

       d) after publication in the CDSR (post-publication) AND the journal has already signed a Cochrane co-publication agreement (check the list in Appendix 3) – the CRG can grant permission to the author and does not need to refer to the CEU. The CRG will ensure that the CEU is aware of each permission granted by sending a copy of the completed ‘Permission to co-publish’ form to the CEU.

1. All co-publishing journals will be asked to sign a Cochrane co-publication agreement with Wiley. This can be a one-off agreement or an agreement to co-publish over a period of time (i.e. it does not need to be signed by the journal for each abridged review). All journals that have already signed the agreement to co-publish over a period of time are listed below. If the journal has not yet signed an agreement the CEU will instruct Wiley to ensure that an agreement is signed (in advance of submission to the journal as far as possible).
2. When submitting an abridged version of a Cochrane Review to a journal (or enquiring about submission in the case of prior or simultaneous publication), the author must make a complete statement to the journal editor to say that the article is based on a Cochrane Review (published or in progress).
3. The journal version must faithfully reflect the data and interpretations of the Cochrane version. Where journal editing and peer review have resulted in differences in the data or interpretation, these should be discussed with the CRG, and, where appropriate, incorporated into a revised version of the Cochrane Review at the next available opportunity, and with appropriate acknowledgement to the journal’s peer reviewers/editors.
4. The title of the journal version should indicate that it is a secondary publication (complete republication, abridged republication, complete translation, or abridged translation) of the Cochrane Review, preferably by including 'Cochrane Review' or 'Cochrane Systematic Review' in the title.
5. The support of the CRG in publishing the Cochrane Review should be acknowledged in an appropriate place in the journal version (e.g. in the Acknowledgements section).
6. The Cochrane Review must be cited in the reference list of the journal version.
   1. A footnote should be placed on the title page of the journal version to inform readers and documenting agencies that the paper has been published previously, either in whole or in part, citing the primary publication (CDSR); for example: “This article is based on a Cochrane Review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) YYYY, Issue X, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD00xxxx (see www.thecochranelibrary.com for information). Cochrane Reviews are regularly updated as new evidence emerges and in response to feedback, and the CDSR should be consulted for the most recent version of the review.”
   2. The Cochrane Review published in the CDSR should reference the journal version in the section ‘Other published versions of this review’ as soon as possible after publication of the journal version or when in press.

The workflow will help CRGs and authors to navigate the processes for discussing and arranging co-publication (Appendix 5). CRGs will communicate the co-publishing decision to the authors or seek additional information using the available template (Appendix 6).

4.   Agreements between journals and the CDSR for co-publication of Cochrane Reviews

Some journals have indicated that they would like to publish abridged versions of Cochrane Reviews. In the past these have been informal agreements, but from 2010 onwards co-publication agreements need to be formalized between the editor of the journal, the Editor in Chief of The Cochrane Library, and Wiley (the publishers of The Cochrane Library). A  list of journals that have signed a Cochrane co-publication agreement is available (Appendix 3). Journal editors interested in arranging a Cochrane co-publication agreement should contact the Editor in Chief of The Cochrane Library. A template for a co-publication agreement is available (Appendix 7).

Authors should be aware that, even if such an agreement is in place, the Cochrane Review article is likely to go through the journal’s own peer review and editorial process (in addition to the Cochrane Review Group’s processes). CRGs are encouraged to work with journal editorial teams that maintain a co-publication agreement, so that the process can be made as efficient as possible.

Authors who submit an abridged Cochrane Review to a journal with a Cochrane co-publication agreement do not need to request permission from the Cochrane Review publishers (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd) to republish, but they do need to complete the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form (Appendix 2) and send this to the CRG’s Managing Editor. If permission is granted, the CRG should forward the completed form to the CEU for their information; contact editorial-unit@cochrane.org and ensure that the subject line of your email clearly states “Co-publication query”. This will help the CEU to track how Cochrane Reviews are being co-published, and this information will help with future revisions of this policy.

Appendices

Appendix 1. List of journals with agreements to publish summaries of Cochrane Reviews in another journal or resource (e.g. a ‘Cochrane Corner’)

The journals listed below have all signed agreements with John Wiley & Sons Ltd to publish summaries/commentaries of Cochrane Reviews.

Note: This list is currently being compiled.

Appendix 2. Permission to co-publish an abridged version of a Cochrane Review in a journal: form

This form has four sections to be completed by the authors (section 1), the Cochrane Review Group (section 2), the Cochrane Editorial Unit (section 3), and the publishers of The Cochrane Library, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (section 4). Download the form as a Word document (version from 3 November 2011).

Appendix 3. List of journals with Cochrane co-publication agreements

The journals listed below have all signed Cochrane co-publication agreements and are either specialty titles or regional titles. Authors who wish to co-publish an abridged version of a Cochrane Review in one of these journals after publication in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews should complete the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form (Appendix 2) and send it to the Cochrane Review Group’s (CRG’s) Managing Editor. The CRG can grant permission to the author and need not refer the case to the CEU (although in some circumstances they may wish to consult the CEU for specific guidance). In any case the CRG should ensure that the CEU receives a copy of all ‘permission to co-publish’ forms; send to editorial-unit@cochrane.org and ensure that the subject line of your email clearly states “Co-publication query”.

Note: This list is being revised and updated.

Appendix 4. List of high-profile journals

Authors who wish to co-publish an abridged version of a Cochrane Review in one of these journals should complete the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form (Appendix 2) and send it to the Managing Editor of their Cochrane Review Group (CRG). The CRG will always refer the request to the Cochrane Editorial Unit for permission, which will not be unreasonably withheld.

• New England Journal of Medicine
• The Lancet
• JAMA
• Annals of Internal Medicine
• BMJ
• PLoS Medicine
• Annual Review of Medicine
• Archives of Internal Medicine
• Canadian Medical Association Journal
• Journal of Internal Medicine

Appendix 5. Workflow for co-publishing Cochrane Reviews (including updates) in other journals

Download the workflow chart as PDF.

CDSR: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; CEU: Cochrane Editorial Unit; CRG: Cochrane Review Group

Appendix 6. Templates: Correspondence between Cochrane Review Group and author

6.1. Request author to complete the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form

Dear [insert name],

Thank you for requesting permission to co-publish your Cochrane Review entitled “[insert title]” (“[insert CD number”]) in the journal [insert journal title]. To collect all necessary information, please complete Section 1 of the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form (available from [insert website address]/attached to this email) with as much information as possible and return to me at the address below.

The Cochrane co-publication policy can be found in the Cochrane Policy Manual (www.cochrane.org/policy-manual/welcome); you will find it useful to familiarize yourself with this document before completing the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form. Also, as part of this form you will be asked to confirm that you agree to adhere to all requirements for co-publication, as outlined in the co-publication policy in the Cochrane Policy Manual.

If you have any queries about this process, please contact me at the address below.

Best wishes

[Insert name, Managing Editor, Cochrane [insert] Review Group]
[Insert address and contact details]

6.2. Request author to provide additional information in the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form

Dear [insert name],

Thank you for submitting the permission to co-publish form for your Cochrane Review entitled “[insert title]” (“[insert CD number”]) in the journal [insert journal title]. Before we can consider your request, please answer the questions below, providing as much detail as possible.

1.

2.

3.

You should insert your answers into the “Authors’ comments” section of your completed ‘Permission to co-publish’ form, which is attached to this email.

The Cochrane co-publication policy can be found in the Cochrane Policy Manual (http://www.cochrane.org/policy-manual/welcome). You will find it useful to familiarize yourself with this document before completing the ‘Permission to co-publish’ form. Also, as part of this form you will be asked to confirm that you agree to adhere to all requirements for co-publication, as outlined in the co-publication policy in the Cochrane Policy Manual.

If you have any queries about this process, please contact me at the address below.

Best wishes

[Insert name, Managing Editor, Cochrane [insert] Review Group]
[Insert address and contact details]

6.3. Permission to co-publish a Cochrane Review in a journal is granted

Dear [insert name],

Thank you for requesting permission to co-publish your Cochrane Review entitled “[insert title]” (“[insert CD number”]) in the journal [insert journal title].

I am pleased to be able to tell you that permission to co-publish has been granted, subject to adherence to the points outlined below. The journal has also agreed to adhere to these criteria:

1. When submitting an abridged version of a Cochrane Review to a journal (or enquiring about submission in the case of prior or simultaneous publication), the author must make a complete statement to the journal editor to say that the article is based on a  Cochrane Review (published or in progress), which might be regarded as redundant or duplicate publication.
2. The journal version must faithfully reflect the data and interpretations of the Cochrane version. Where journal editing and peer review results in differences in the data or interpretation, these should be discussed with the Cochrane Review Group and, where appropriate, incorporated into an update of the Cochrane Review at the next available opportunity with appropriate acknowledgement to the journal’s peer reviewers/editors.
3. The title of the journal version should indicate that it is a secondary publication (complete republication, abridged republication, complete translation, or abridged translation) of the Cochrane Review, preferably by including 'Cochrane Review' or 'Cochrane Systematic Review' in the title.
4. The support of the Cochrane Review Group in publishing the Cochrane Review should be acknowledged in an appropriate place in the journal version (e.g. in the Acknowledgements section).
5. The Cochrane Review must be cited in the text and reference list of the journal version.
6. A footnote should be placed on the title page of the journal version to inform readers and documenting agencies that the paper has been published previously, either in whole or in part, citing the primary publication (the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews); for example: “This article is based on a Cochrane Review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) YYYY, Issue X, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD00xxxx (see www.thecochranelibrary.com for information). Cochrane Reviews are regularly updated as new evidence emerges and in response to feedback, and the CDSR should be consulted for the most recent version of the review.”
7. The Cochrane Review published in the CDSR should reference the journal version in the section ‘Other published versions of this review’ as soon as possible after publication of the journal version or when in press.

Please send a copy of the journal version of your article to me upon publication and, in the meantime, do come back to me if you have any queries about this process.

Best wishes

[Insert name, Managing Editor, Cochrane [insert] Review Group]
[Insert address and contact details]

Dear [insert name],

Thank you for requesting permission to co-publish your Cochrane Review entitled “[insert title]” (“[insert CD number”]) in the journal [insert journal title].

Unfortunately, we are unwilling to grant you permission to co-publish this Cochrane Review.

This decision was reached in consultation with the Editor in Chief of The Cochrane Library, and the reasons for this decision are outlined below:

1.

2.

3.

Do come back to me if you have any queries about this process.

Best wishes

[Insert name, Managing Editor, Cochrane [insert] Review Group]
[Insert address and contact details]