Title: Project Manager
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary:  £42,000 per Annum  
Location: UK /London Remote Based Role
Closing date: 09:00 2 Oct 2023
 
Cochrane is an international charity. For 30 years we have responded to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesising research findings and our work has been recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters around the world. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into four directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

To support the Evidence Production and Methods Department (EPM), Publishing and Technology department (P&T), Cochrane Library Product development and other Central Executive Teams (CET) in delivering on high priority projects: to project manage the highest priority EPM, P&T and other Cochrane projects where appropriate. These strategic projects can change, currently the focus is on delivering the Cochrane Library product development roadmap and Open Access, but we require a project manager who is flexible and can move across projects where required.        

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Our organization is built on four core values: Collaboration: Underpins everything we do, locally and globally. Relevant: The right evidence at the right time in the right format. Integrity: Independent and transparent. Quality: Reviewing and improving what we do, maintaining rigour and trust.  

You can expect: 

• An opportunity to truly impact health globally  
• A flexible work environment  
• A comprehensive onboarding experiences
• An environment where people feel welcome, heard, and included, regardless of their differences

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here
• The deadline to receive your application is 09:00 2 Oct 2023.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples. 
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement

Key Points 

• Comprehensive study reveals nicotine e-cigarettes, varenicline and cytisine are the stop-smoking aids most likely to help people quit smoking.
• On average, for every 100 people trying to quit, around 14 are likely to succeed using an e-cigarette, varenicline or cytisine in any given quit attempt. This is compared to 6 in 100 who are likely to quit without using any aids.
• Dual nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) methods, like combining a patch with gum, may be almost as effective, with approximately 12 in 100 people likely to successfully quit. However, this estimate is less certain than those for the other stop-smoking aids.
• Using only one form of NRT, such as a patch alone, leads to around 9 in 100 people successfully quitting.
• The advanced "component network meta-analysis" (CNMA) approach analysed over 300 clinical trials to compare the effectiveness of various cessation methods.
• Cytisine, a highly effective smoking cessation medicine, is highlighted but is unavailable in most countries, including the UK. Many countries also have supply issues with varenicline currently.

A comprehensive new Cochrane analysis has found that nicotine e-cigarettes, varenicline and cytisine are the most effective options currently available for helping smokers quit long-term (going at least six months without smoking). This is closely followed by using two forms of nicotine replacement therapy at the same time, such as a nicotine patch alongside gum, lozenges or nasal sprays. The research was conducted by a team from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford with colleagues from the University of Leicester.

The study, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, compared the results for different stop-smoking aids that have been used in over 300 clinical trials involving more than 150,000 people. The researchers used a statistical technique to combine data from the studies into a single analysis called “component network meta-analysis” (CNMA). This meant they could compare smoking cessation methods against each other, using both direct comparisons within trials and indirect comparisons across trials. This provided a comprehensive view of the relative effectiveness of each method.

Dr Nicola Lindson, lead author and a Senior Researcher and Lecturer based within Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, emphasised the potential impact of the findings: 

“Our research dives deep into the world of smoking cessation. By pulling together data from hundreds of studies and over 150,000 people, we can see that when people use the medicines licenced for quitting smoking or nicotine e-cigarettes, they are more likely to quit than if they do not use these aids. We have also shown that nicotine e-cigarettes, cytisine, and varenicline appear to help more people quit than other products used to stop smoking. Nicotine replacement therapy appears to be almost as effective, but only when a patch is used alongside another form of nicotine replacement, such as gum or nasal spray.

E-cigarettes were found to help around 14 smokers per 100 quit long-term, compared to 6 in 100 trying to quit without any of the stop-smoking aids studied. The smoking cessation medicines varenicline and cytisine were similarly effective. However, varenicline, a WHO essential medicine, is not currently available in Europe, South America, Japan, and parts of North America due to a manufacturing problem. Cytisine is not currently licensed or marketed in most countries outside of central and Eastern Europe, meaning it is unavailable in most of the world, including the UK and US. This leaves nicotine e-cigarettes and combination nicotine replacement therapies as the two most effective stop-smoking aids available to most people. These work better when people are also receiving behavioural support to quit. 

Using two types of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) together, such as a nicotine patch plus a faster-acting NRT product like gum or lozenges, may be almost as effective as nicotine e-cigarettes, varenicline and cytisine. However, using a single form of NRT, like the patch or gum alone, resulted in fewer additional quitters. The review estimates that around 12 in 100 people using two forms of NRT together will quit successfully, compared to around 9 in 100 people using only one type. The estimate for combined NRT is less certain than those for other stop-smoking aids, as it was calculated from the combined effects of individual NRTs rather than directly from trials of combination therapies. 

Smoking is a significant health concern and cause of death worldwide. However, it is very difficult to quit. There are several products available to help with this, but the relative effectiveness of these methods has long been uncertain. This comprehensive analysis now offers clarity, providing people who smoke, healthcare professionals and policymakers with reliable data to make informed decisions." 

The researchers incorporated key factors like the effectiveness of various interventions and their safety profiles. The study's findings could be vital information to help reshape public health policies and strategies, offering smokers more effective tools to quit for good.

Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, co-author who was based at the University of Oxford during the research and is now Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said: 

"In sifting through extensive data, we've gained valuable insights into effective smoking cessation methods. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death worldwide, and though many people want to quit smoking, it can be hard to do so. Our findings provide clear evidence of the effectiveness of nicotine e-cigarettes and combination nicotine replacement therapies to help people quit smoking. The evidence also is clear on the benefits of medicines cytisine and varenicline, but these may be harder for some people to access at the moment. The best thing someone who smokes can do for their health is to quit smoking, and evidence shows that using varenicline, cytisine, or nicotine e-cigarettes in combination with behavioural support will give them the best chances of successfully doing so."

The review focused exclusively on evaluating the efficacy of a range of smoking cessation methods, aligning with its defined scope and primary research focus. It did not delve into broader aspects of the public health discourse regarding e-cigarettes, such as their usage among non-smokers and adolescents. While the review uncovered no substantial evidence of significant adverse effects, it's important to note that most studies tracked participants for a period ranging from six to twelve months, leaving a gap in data concerning potential long-term consequences.

The massive study concluded that more data on serious side effects and the number of people who stop using a product due to side effects would be beneficial. However, this robust analysis provides strong evidence to inform treatment guidelines and policies aimed at helping smokers quit. 

• Read the plain language summary and full Cochrane review
  

Lindson N, Theodoulou A, Ordóñez-Mena JM, Fanshawe TR, Sutton AJ, Livingstone-Banks J, Hajizadeh A, Zhu S, Aveyard P, Freeman SC, Agrawal S, Hartmann-Boyce J. Pharmacological and electronic cigarette interventions for smoking cessation in adults: component network meta‐analyses. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD015226. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD015226.pub2.

Specifications: 12-Months Fixed Term – Contract
Salary: £42,000 per annum  
Location: UK – Remote/Flexible
Closing date: 13 Sep 2023

Cochrane is an international charity. For 30 years we have responded to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesising research findings and our work has been recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters around the world. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into five directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

Reporting to the Senior Managing Editor and working with members of the Editorial Production and Methods Directorate, the role holder will need to have good awareness of Cochrane guidance for different types of standard and complex systematic reviews (intervention, qualitative, diagnostic test accuracy, prognosis, rapid and overview), plan how they will need to be handled in their team, and work to ensure that deadlines are met. The role holder will also be required to ensure that pilots aimed at innovating the editorial process can be supported as needed.

Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Our organization is built on four core values: Collaboration: Underpins everything we do, locally and globally. Relevant: The right evidence at the right time in the right format. Integrity: Independent and transparent. Quality: Reviewing and improving what we do, maintaining rigour and trust.  

You can expect: 

• An opportunity to truly impact health globally  
• A flexible work environment  
• A comprehensive onboarding experiences
• An environment where people feel welcome, heard, and included, regardless of their differences

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here.
• The deadline to receive your application is 13th Sep, 2023.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples. 
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement

When it comes to starting a family, timing is everything

A new Cochrane review of methods to increase chances of successful conception suggests that timed intercourse using urine ovulation tests probably improves live birth and pregnancy rates in women under 40 who had been trying to conceive for less than 12 months, compared to intercourse without ovulation prediction.

The Cochrane review, conducted jointly with researchers from University of Oxford, the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, and the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton, included seven randomised controlled trials involving 2,464 women or couples who had been trying to conceive.

Each month there is a narrow window for successful conception due to the limited lifespan of the sperm and egg, which begins from around five days before ovulation (egg release) and lasts until several hours afterwards.

The period of a woman’s cycle can be identified by different methods, including urine ovulation tests (dipstick devices that can detect changes in hormones released into the urine, signifying when ovulation will occur), fertility awareness-based methods (FABM) (including calendar tracking, monitoring changes in cervix fluid and body temperature) or identifying when the egg is released on ultrasound. This review aimed to assess the benefits and risks of timed intercourse on pregnancy, live birth, negative effects and quality of life in couples trying to conceive.

The study found that timing intercourse around the fertile period using a urine ovulation test increased the chances of pregnancy and live birth to between 20% to 28%, compared to 18% without using urine ovulation tests. This was specifically in women under 40 trying to conceive for under 12 months.

Tatjana Gibbons, a DPhil researcher at Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health and lead author on the study, said: ‘‘Many couples find it difficult to achieve a pregnancy, which can lead to concerns about their fertility.'

The finding that a simple and easily available urine test can increase a couple’s chance of successful conception is quite exciting because it can empower couples with more control over their fertility journey and could potentially reduce the need for infertility investigations and treatments."

Professor Christian M Becker of Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health said: "The high threshold of evidence required in a Cochrane review makes even this moderate quality evidence for the effectiveness of urine ovulation tests quite impressive, as well as surprising considering how long they have been available for."

However, the researchers cautioned that because many of the studies were funded by the manufacturers of the urine ovulation test, the results should be interpreted with caution.

They also found that there was insufficient evidence to conclude the effect of the other methods in the study, including timed intercourse on clinical pregnancy (ultrasound-confirmed pregnancy), the use of FABM in timed intercourse compared to intercourse without ovulation prediction.

• Read the plain language and full review on the Cochrane Library 

Gibbons T, Reavey J, Georgiou EX, Becker CM. Timed intercourse for couples trying to conceive. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD011345. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011345.pub3. 

The Cochrane Early Career Professionals group aims to provide its members opportunities to enhance their knowledge, skills, and expertise by providing a platform for international networking with early career professionals or other members in the Cochrane community. They aim to focus on the development of leadership skills for the early career members of the Cochrane community and encourage the active involvement of the Early Career Professionals in shaping the mission and vision of the Cochrane community.

The team of Cochrane Early Career Professionals will be chatting with senior researchers and members of Cochrane on a podcast called 'Conversations with Cochrane'. Through the podcast episodes, you can learn about citizen science, issues around open-access, elements of review production, methods used in evidence synthesis, and how to get involved in Cochrane. 

"At Cochrane, nurturing aspiring minds and supporting professionals embarking on their career journey is part of the work we do. Our commitment is evident through initiatives like the Cochrane US Mentorship,  Cochrane International Mobility,  the student pathway to Cochrane Membership, and the Cochrane Early Career Professionals Network.

The podcast from the Early Career Professionals network is a great addition and we're looking forward to all the insight conversations to come - and that everyone can be a part of that!" 

- Rachel Klabunde, Interim Head of Membership, Learning and Support 

"We are really excited to introduce Cochrane ECP’s first podcast 'Conversations with Cochrane'! There are many ways in which early career professionals can get involved in Cochrane and develop leadership skills to support a scientific research career – follow our podcast and stay tuned for news and exciting opportunities!"

- Dr Elpida Vounzoulaki, Podcast Host and Chair of the Cochrane ECP group

'Conversations with Cochrane' is available in your favourite podcast app and on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. 

Below is a listing of current episodes. 

An introduction to the Conversations with Cochrane podcast from current and future leadership of the Cochrane Early Career Professionals Network by Drs. Elpida Vounzoulaki, Santiago Castiello, and Neal Christopher. Listen as we introduce the aims and scope of this series. 

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Amazon Music

Cochrane, a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers, and health enthusiasts is celebrating our 30th anniversary in 2023.

In 1987, the year before Archie Cochrane died, he referred to a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of care during pregnancy and childbirth as "a real milestone in the history of randomized trials and in the evaluation of care", and suggested that other specialties should copy the methods used. His encouragement, and the endorsement of his views by others, led to the opening of the first Cochrane Centre in Oxford, UK in 1992 and the founding of The Cochrane Collaboration in 1993.

Cochrane has released a new video to celebrate our 30 year anniversary, featuring interviews with key collaborators past and present.

At the #CochraneLondon Colloquium, Karla Soares-Weiser and Jimmy Volmink engaged in a thought-provoking discussion with Iain Chalmers, Muir Gray,  Jini Hetherington, and others. They explored the origins and inspirations behind the founding of Cochrane. View the PDF Slides.

We have also curated a collection of Cochrane Reviews that exemplify the enduring mission and innovative approaches taken by our organization. This Special Collection underscores the future of Cochrane, built upon its rich history of methodological diversity and unwavering dedication to meeting user needs.

• Visit the Cochrane Library Special Collection 
• Learn more about Cochrane's history 
• Purchase limited edition Cochrane 30th Anniversary items

Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary:  £27,070 per Annum  
Location: (Remote – Flexible) Candidates anywhere from the world will be considered; however, Cochrane’s Central Executive Team is only able to offer consultancy contracts outside these countries.
Directorate: EPM
Closing date: 06 September 2023
 
Cochrane is an international charity. For 30 years we have responded to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesising research findings and our work has been recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

Cochrane's strength is in its collaborative, global community. We have 110,000+ members and supporters around the world. Though we are spread out across the globe, our shared passion for health evidence unites us. Our Central Executive Team supports this work and is divided into four directorates: Evidence Production and Methods, Publishing and Technology, Development, and Finance and Corporate Services.

To provide an efficient and responsive administrative, organisational, and logistical service to the Editor in Chief (EiC) and the leadership team of the Evidence Production & Methods Directorate (EPM). Support operational activities of the directorate, including management of the Editorial Board.
       
Don’t have every single qualification? We know that some people are less likely to apply for a job unless they are a perfect match. At Cochrane, we’re not looking for “perfect matches.” We’re looking to welcome people to our diverse, inclusive, and passionate workplace. So, if you’re excited about this role but don’t have every single qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. Whether it’s this role or another one, you may be just the right candidate.

Our organization is built on four core values: Collaboration: Underpins everyting we do, locally and globally. Relevant: The right evidence at the right time in the right format. Integrity: Independent and transparent. Quality: Reviewing and improving what we do, maintaining rigour and trust.  

You can expect: 

• An opportunity to truly impact health globally  
• A flexible work environment  
• A comprehensive onboarding experiences
• An environment where people feel welcome, heard, and included, regardless of their differences

Cochrane welcomes applications from a wide range of perspectives, experiences, locations and backgrounds; diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our values.

How to apply

• For further information on the role and how to apply, please click here
• The deadline to receive your application is 6th Sep, 2023.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples. 
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement