GRADE provides a transparent and structured approach to interpret findings from an evidence synthesis. This Learning Live series is based on the new GRADE book which presents the most current version of GRADE methods in a single source.
Session 1 introduced the series and how GRADE is used to assess the certainty of evidence in systematic reviews of interventions.
Topics included:-
- The importance of well-defined questions and outcomes
- How GRADE defines certainty of evidence for interventions
- The 4-step process for assessing certainty
- Absolute effects as the basis for assessing certainty
- Domains for rating the certainty of evidence about the effects of interventions
- Practices that enhance the reliability, reproducibility and transparency of judgements
The session was suitable for those wanting to use GRADE to interpret and summarise findings in a systematic review. Some understanding of systematic review methods was assumed.
The session was delivered in April 2026 and below you will find the recording with the accompanying slides to download [PDF].
Presenter Bio
Holger Schünemann is a Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Humanitas University in Milan, Italy and Professor emeritus in the Departments of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (formerly “Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics”) and of Medicine. He received his MD degree (1993) and a “doctor medicinae” degree (1994) from the Medical School of Hannover where he also began residency training in internal and respiratory medicine before completing his residency and a PhD at SUNY Buffalo (2000). He is director of the Clinical Epidemiology and Research Center (CERC) at Humanitas University. He was Chair of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics from 2009 to 2019, widely considered the birthplace of evidence-based health care and problem-based learning. After completing his second and final term as Chair, he led the Michael G DeGroote Cochrane Canada and McMaster GRADE Centres and was director of Cochrane Canada. Since 2000, he helped reshaping of methodology for guideline development spanning clinical medicine to public health and contributed methodologically and practically to knowledge synthesis research, foremost through his leadership of the GRADE working group that he chairs.
