September 2008 Issue # 49

Welcome to the latest issue of AusInfo. You’ll notice a fresh design but some things – the focus on training and support - remain the same as ever. It’s been a year of upheaval for many review authors in terms of methods and software. At the Centre, we are keen to do what we can to make the transition as smooth as possible, so if you’re an author that’s sat back and waited, now’s a good chance to join one of our training events before the year is out.

Many of you will know that the Cochrane Collaboration’s annual meeting is just around the corner. If you are heading to Freiburg, Germany for this year’s Colloquium, please be sure to drop by the Australasian Cochrane Centre table at Meet the Entities on Friday 3rd October (2.15pm to 3.45pm).

The results of this year’s Steering Group elections were announced recently. Australian representation continues to be very strong with the re-election of Donna Gillies as author rep and the election of Steve McDonald as a centre rep (replacing Sally Green). We also want to acknowledge the important contribution made by Narelle Willis of the Cochrane Renal Group who representred review group co-ordinators on the Steering Group for the last three years.


Steve McDonald
Australasian Cochrane Centre


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Resources for RevMan 5
Authors working on Cochrane reviews this year will now be getting to know RevMan 5, the new version of our software for writing and submitting Cochrane reviews. If you have any questions or need any assistance with RevMan 5, there are several sources of help:

• Help files and a self-training tutorial available from the RevMan 5 Help menu
• FAQ and further information (including advice for your IT support on installation and setup) on the RevMan 5 website at www.cc-ims.net/RevMan
• your Review Group
• and don't forget you can contact the ACC's training team for assistance at donna.duyvestyn@med.monash.edu.au.

Miranda Cumpston
Australasian Cochrane Centre


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Cochrane Review Completion and Update Program
Are you trying to finish or update a Cochrane review? The Cochrane review completion and update program is designed to provide dedicated time and support to review authors who are struggling to find the time to complete or update their Cochrane systematic review. The course is run over five days from 17-21 November 2008 at the Australasian Cochrane Centre in Melbourne and allows dedicated time to work on your review, supported by experienced trainers and review authors. Hands-on assistance and targeted training sessions will be tailored to your needs, and will include advice on new methods introduced with the revised Cochrane Handbook in 2008, such as:

• appraising your included studies using risk of bias tables
• using RevMan 5
• generating Summary of Findings tables

Our aim is that by the end of the week, your review will be ready to submit to your Review Group. All authors with a published protocol in The Cochrane Library are welcome to register.

For more information and registration, please visit the training page on the ACC site or contact donna.duyvestyn@med.monash.edu.au. Please note that the course is free of charge, but authors will need to pay their own travel and accommodation expenses.


Miranda Cumpston
Australasian Cochrane Centre


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Workshop on Assessing Complex Interventions in Cochrane Systematic Reviews

Date: Thursday 27 November 2008
Location: National Institute of Clinical Studies, 499 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004
Cost: Free to members of the Cochrane Collaboration and/or people involved in writing Cochrane systematic reviews

The workshop provides a forum for learning about and discussing systematic reviews of complex healthcare interventions and relevant outcomes. Complex interventions typically include those which are multifaceted and difficult to define. We will explore interventions targeting both consumers/patients and professionals. The workshop will consider aspects of defining the research question, searching for primary studies, making decisions about study design criteria, systematic review methodology, appropriate data extraction, challenges with analysis, presentation of results and writing the recommendations section.

This workshop is targeted at individuals who are familiar with systematic reviews. Priority will be given to those involved in Cochrane systematic reviews. Participants are encouraged to submit questions about specific review topics in advance and be prepared to participate in small group discussion about them.

This workshop is being presented by the Australian Satellite of the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group, with additional support from the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Group, the Cochrane Public Health Group, and the Australasian Cochrane Centre. The organisers retain the right to approve registrations.

For further information on the workshop or to attain a registration form please contact Emma Tavender, Email: emma.tavender@nhmrc.gov.au Phone: +3 8866 0414. Deadline date for receipt of registration forms: Friday 31st October 2008.


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Cochrane News Issue 43
The August 2008 issue of Cochrane News, the Collaboration's international newsletter, is now available from the Cochrane website. This issue covers the recently launched Cochrane Public Health Group, what’s new with Cochrane reviews of diagnostic test accuracy, funding boost for complementary and alternative medicine reviews, the James Lind Library and an initiative of the Chinese Cochrane Centre in response to the Sichuan earthquake.



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