2.2.7 Copyright (Licence for Publication forms)

Copyright of Cochrane Reviews and Protocols for Cochrane Reviews remains with the authors. They, however, grant to The Cochrane Collaboration for the full period of copyright and all extensions and renewals, an exclusive licence of the rights of copyright in and to the Cochrane Review (or Protocol for a Cochrane Review), including but not limited to the right to publish, re-publish, transmit, sell, distribute, and otherwise use the Review (or Protocol for a Cochrane Review) and the material contained therein in electronic editions of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and print reprints thereof, and in derivative works, in all languages throughout the world, and to license or permit others to do so.

 All authors of Cochrane reviews are required to give their permission for publication before their review is published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in The Cochrane Library. From late February 2011, the author will automatically be sent an email with a link taking her/him to the 'Archie' login page and then on to the Licence for Publication web form. The email will also have, as an attachment, a PDF of the proof of the review. Once the author has accessed the web form, s/he will be asked to accept the licence, type her/his name, and click a button. The author will also be able to read the final version of the review from within the form.

Authors who do not, for technical or other reasons, have access to the web form in Archie may still print out and sign a paper version of the form. The form is available in Review Manager or from this Manual (sections 2.2.7.4 [Reviews], 2.2.7.5 [Protocols]). The signed form should be sent by post or fax, or scanned and e-mailed electronically, to the Managing Editor of the appropriate Cochrane Review Group, who will complete the web form on behalf of the author.

 Notes to Managing Editors

1. An electronic Licence for Publication form may only be submitted on behalf of an author if one of the following circumstances apply: (i) the author has submitted a signed 'paper copy' of the form; (ii) the author is deceased (see section 2.2.7.8).

2. With effect from 25 February 2011, Managing Editors are no longer required to send paper copies of Licence for Publication forms to the Cochrane Operations Unit.

Authors may wish to seek co-publication of versions of Cochrane reviews and Cochrane Methodology reviews in other journals, particularly those that have expressed enthusiasm for this. Such co-publication is welcomed by The Cochrane Collaboration, as long as it is done in accordance with the guidance in section 2.2.5 of the Cochrane Policy Manual.

Responsibility for content of Cochrane reviews

Responsibility for the content of a Cochrane review rests with the authors, not the CRG editors. The Licence for Publication form does not change this. Although the CRG editors have the authority not to accept a review for publication, the author(s) take responsibility for what they give to the editors.  Section 4.2.2 of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions describes the importance of the authors in relation to their accountability for the review.

Priority of Permissions (i.e. which takes precedence: the date that something is published or the date of signing the Licence for Publication form?)

The date of signing the form is more important than the date that the Cochrane review (or a version of it) is published. The date on the form is the date on which the rights mentioned in it are transferred. As a reminder, The Cochrane Collaboration’s policy in relation to ‘co-publication’ of versions of Cochrane reviews in other journals is in Section 2.4 of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. This outlines the importance of not delaying the publication of the Cochrane review in order to wait for a journal to publish a version of the review.

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