How is the Cochrane Collaboration organised and how can I participate?

The Cochrane Collaboration is an international network of persons dedicated to ensure that health care interventions are underpinned with the best available evidence. The core of the organisation is formed by 52 review groups with their authors. These groups are formed around medical topics such as back pain, pregnancy, musculoskeletal trauma or occupational safety and health. The occupational safety and health (OSH) review group. The OSH Review Group is responsible for the editorial process and publication of cochrane reviews in the field of OSH. The making of a Cochrane Review is a three stage process in which first the title is registered. To prevent duplication of efforts, the title is only registered to one review team. The next step is the writing and publishing of a detailed protocol to ensure that the reviewers stick to their original review question. After the protocol has been published the review is written en published. There is no central funding for the collaboration or the review authors. This implies that authors have to invest their own working time or bring their own funding. To start the process contact jani.ruotsalainen(at)ttl.fi or look at osh.cochrane.org for instructions.