Welcome to the 15th Cochrane Methods report compiled by the Central Executive Team to provide an overview of the key methodological activities in Cochrane for 2025–2026.
The report highlights the importance of our methods community, particularly Cochrane Methods Groups and their members, in continuing to improve the relevance, quality, and timeliness of Cochrane reviews.
Achievements and contributions from the Methods Groups
Cochrane greatly appreciates the expertise and contributions of the Cochrane Methods Groups. We have compiled the Methods Groups’ 2025–2026 achievements in a series of spotlights to celebrate their work in methods research and development, development of best practices and guidance, and methods implementation.
Read our spotlight on Methods Groups
Additionally, we present highlights of Cochrane’s main methods initiatives:
Standing at the forefront of responsible AI use in evidence synthesis
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into evidence synthesis, Cochrane is helping shape its responsible, transparent, and effective use. Through collaboration and research, updated guidance and reporting standards, and training, we are defining best practice and ensuring that AI is used in ways that uphold the rigor and trustworthiness of evidence synthesis.
- The joint AI Methods Group between Cochrane, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence published the Position statement on artificial intelligence (AI) use in evidence synthesis across Cochrane, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence. This paper clarified four expectations for authors using AI in evidence synthesis.
- The Rapid Reviews Methods Group and AI Methods Group published a position statement on AI use in rapid reviews.
- Cochrane launched the CESAR project, an innovative study to assess AI tools for evidence synthesis. The study uses an adaptive platform study within a review (SWAR) design, responsible AI principles, informed performance thresholds, and real-world testing within ongoing Cochrane reviews. The protocol was published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, and we anticipate findings from this work later in the year.
- A new subheading and guidance was introduced to support authors’ disclosure of AI use in all Cochrane reviews and AI literacy capacity strengthening within editorial teams.
- Version 4 of the Responsible use of AI in Evidence SynthEis (RAISE) was released in early March 2026, after incorporating community feedback. This version of RAISE guidance includes updated tables of the current state of AI, a brief taxonomy of how a given AI technology may be used, and clearer guidance for the responsible handover framework for assessing the suitability of an AI tool for use in evidence synthesis.
- Convenors of the AI Methods Group and CET staff delivered training to the diverse groups on selecting AI tools for use in evidence synthesis.
- As a partner on Destiny (Digitial Evidence Synthesis Tool INnovation for Yielding Improvements in Climate & Health), Cochrane is supporting the development of AI-enhanced repositories for evidence synthesis, as well as strengthening capacity for responsible AI use and mainstreaming best practice and validated digital evidence synthesis tools.
Guidance to meet the diverse needs of the evidence synthesis community
As highlighted in Cochrane’s scientific strategy, addressing key research priorities requires a range of synthesis methods. We continue to update our guidance and Handbooks to support high-quality, diverse evidence syntheses. By engaging with the evidence synthesis community, we ensure our methods and guidance evolve in response to emerging needs and priorities.
- The Cochrane and Campbell Handbooks of Qualitative Evidence Synthesis and Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Prognosis Research and Prediction Models will be available in hardcopy at the end of 2026.
- A new Cochrane Handbook of Rapid Reviews is in development and Convenors from the Cochrane Rapid Review Methods Group published a new tutorial on rapid reviews in the Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods Journal.
- The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions will soon include a new chapter on ‘living systematic reviews’ and an updated chapter on prospective, collaborative approaches to meta-analysis
- The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy was updated to include recent word limit information.
- Subheadings for DTA, methodology, and overview reviews were updated to align with Cochrane’s focused review format. Additionally, two new RevMan review templates that include best practice reporting guidance are available for qualitative evidence synthesis and prognosis reviews. These review templates were developed by convenors from the Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group and Prognosis Methods Group, respectively.
- Cochrane, in collaboration with ESIC and partners, proposed a community-led methods agenda to enable policy-scale, living evidence synthesis. Co-Chairs of the Working Group included Convenors from the Equity, Adverse Effects, and Comparing Multiple Interventions Methods Groups. As part of this work, we are summarizing community feedback from a survey and ESIC webinar on the agenda’s candidate methods areas.
Highlighting equity, diversity, and co-production methods
Since 2024, all new Cochrane reviews include sections on equity considerations and patient and public involvement. To support this endeavor, Cochrane’s review template includes updated reporting guidance. Members of the Equity Thematic Group and Campbell and Cochrane Equity Methods Group have also published two tutorials on health equity in systematic reviews, covering getting started with health equity in your review and implementing health equity throughout your review methods.
Additionally, the Cochrane Co-Production Methods Group was featured in ‘A day with…the Cochrane Co-Production Methods Group’ in February 2026. This virtual one-day event featured introductory videos, presentations and panel discussions to connect the community with members of the Methods Group. It included sessions on how to co-produce an evidence synthesis and working together to advance co-production methods.
Championing research integrity
Championing research integrity is one of the four commitments in Cochrane’s scientific strategy. Cochrane continues to lead in trust and transparency by evolving practices to meet emerging challenges in research integrity.
- New webinars covered ‘INSPECT-SR: A tool for assessing trustworthiness of randomized controlled trials’ and ‘How to address conflicts of interests in systematic reviews using TACIT.’
- Cochrane strengthened its systems for identifying and managing retracted publications associated with studies included in published and ongoing Cochrane reviews. The framework to determine the impact of retracted studies on a Cochrane review was published to provide practical guidance for review authors and editors when assessing the impact of retracted studies and determining the appropriate editorial action. A research project is also currently applying this framework to all affected Cochrane reviews to assess the characteristics and impact of retracted papers included in Cochrane reviews.
- Work is also underway to further automate the identification of retraction publications within CENTRAL and to develop systems that alert review authors when an included study is newly retracted. These initiatives continue to support the ongoing reliability and trustworthiness of Cochrane reviews.
A recent blog post provides a full overview of all developments from Cochrane on championing research integrity over the last year.
The Methods Support Unit (MSU) continues working to support Cochrane authors and editors
MSU includes Statistics and Methods Editors who provide support and advice to the Cochrane community on request. A large part of our work involves conducting peer reviews of complex reviews for Cochrane’s Central Editorial Service, but we also answer queries on many different statistical and methodological topics. Since our launch in 2019, we have responded to over 2000 requests for help.
As above, MSU organizes training on methods and statistics topics in our web clinics series, as well as Q&A sessions on topics such as Summary of Findings tables. The Methods and Statistics Tutorials series offers guidance on topics that authors and editors often find difficult. Since the last report, eight new tutorials have been published on diverse topics, including meta-analysis using time-to-event data and sensitivity analysis. We offer guidance across Cochrane’s Central Executive Team and participate in projects such as the implementation of Summary of Findings tables in RevMan
In 2025/2026 we developed, piloted and launched a new hybrid course, ‘Foundations of network meta-analysis', in conjunction with colleagues in the Learning Team in CET. The first iteration of the course was extremely successful, and we are running the course again in October–November 2026. We are currently developing an additional hybrid course focusing on using non-randomized studies of interventions in systematic reviews.
Other methods activities in Cochrane
Cochrane continues to deliver high-quality, accessible training for global audiences to address knowledge gaps in evidence synthesis methods. The following are examples of resources developed between 2025–2026.
- Cochrane Learning Live program:
- A series on updated GRADE methods.
- A series on ‘AI methods in evidence synthesis’
- Introductory webinars on methods for diverse review methods including: interest holder engagement with the TRANSFER approach, prospective, collaborative approaches, individual participant data meta-analysis.
- Webinars highlighting new or updated tools, such as QUADAS-3 and a new risk of bias tool for network meta-analysis.
- Statistical methods webinars covering: Bayesian meta-analysis, modeling departures from normality in meta-analysis, and producing treatment hierarchies in NMA.
- New Cochrane Interactive Learning modules on ‘Rapid reviews’ and ‘Conducting living systematic reviews’.
- The open-access Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods (CESM) journal includes methods and statistics tutorials which include interactive micro-learning modules for readers to learn and practice methods; particularly useful for early career researchers. MSU co-edits this series and authors many of the tutorials.
- An improved toolkit of author training materials for trainers to deliver or adapt for their own face-to-face and online training.
Hellos and goodbyes
We welcome:
- Adriani Nikolakopoulou (Comparing Multiple Interventions) as a member of the Methods Executive
- Catherine Houghton (Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group) as the Methods Executive representative on the Editorial Board
- Vivian Welch, Max Callaghan, Ed Aromataris, Convenors from the AI Methods Group
- Mariam Salman, from the Co-Production Methods Group
- Somang Nam, Hyunggu Jung, from the Priority Setting Methods Group
- Cathrine Baungaard, Methods Implementation Coordinator
And we say goodbye and thank you to the following:
- Matt Page (Bias) as a member and co-Chair of the Methods Executive
- Candyce Hamel, Will Moy, Zoe Jordan, Convenors from the AI Methods Group
- Tamara Lotfi, Lawrence Mbuagbaw, Kevin Pottie, Elizabeth Kristjansson, Ashrita Saran, Gabrial Rada, Convenors from the Equity Methods Group
- April English, Convenor from the Co-Production Methods Group
With respect and best wishes,
Jo-Ana Chase (Methods Implementation Editor)
Cathrine Baungaard (Methods Implementation Coordinator)
Rachel Richardson (Methods Support Unit Lead)
Ella Flemyng (Head of Editorial Policy and Research Integrity)
