Title:  Head of Finance
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £63,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark.
Closing date: 7 March, 2025

As an experienced and qualified Accountant, you will lead and manage Cochrane’s finance functions; developing and implementing strategies, policies and systems to ensure that they are provided in an effective and efficient manner to support the strategic aims and operational activities of the organisation. You will also contribute to Cochrane’s financial sustainability through inputs to fundraising, product & business development and robust financial management.

Reporting to the Director of Finance & Corporate Services, you will lead our small, friendly and dedicated Finance Team, responsible for the effective management and control of the financial function of a medium sized dynamic Charity. This is a pivotal role leading the financial outcomes, which will directly support senior leadership and top-level decision making and closely partner an array of key non-finance colleagues across the Charity.

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally.

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.

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 7 March 2025.  We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.
• Interviews will be held on 20 and 21 March 2025.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement
• Read our Candidate pack for more information on the hiring process and staff benefits

Title:  Head of Finance
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £63,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark.
Closing date: 7 March, 2025

As an experienced and qualified Accountant, you will lead and manage Cochrane’s finance functions; developing and implementing strategies, policies and systems to ensure that they are provided in an effective and efficient manner to support the strategic aims and operational activities of the organisation. You will also contribute to Cochrane’s financial sustainability through inputs to fundraising, product & business development and robust financial management.

Reporting to the Director of Finance & Corporate Services, you will lead our small, friendly and dedicated Finance Team, responsible for the effective management and control of the financial function of a medium sized dynamic Charity. This is a pivotal role leading the financial outcomes, which will directly support senior leadership and top-level decision making and closely partner an array of key non-finance colleagues across the Charity.

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally.

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.

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 7 March 2025.  We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
• The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements, using specific examples.
• Interviews will be held on 20 and 21 March 2025.
• Read our Recruitment Privacy Statement
• Read our Candidate pack for more information on the hiring process and staff benefits

We are pleased to announce that earlier this week, Cochrane’s status as a non-State actor (NSA) in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) was renewed at the 156th session of the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva.

The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified representatives from different Member States, elected for three-year terms. Every year, the Executive Board meets at WHO headquarters to discuss global health priorities for the year ahead and sets the agenda for the World Health Assembly.

The renewal of our official relations status is underpinned by a new joint plan of work for the next three years, which focuses on providing WHO with evidence syntheses that will help inform guidelines, the essential medicines list, methodological assistance and training, supporting activities that facilitate the use of evidence in policymaking at country, regional and global levels, alongside other technical assistance.

This official relation status also enables us to join and make statements at key WHO meetings as a non-voting participant. This includes the World Health Assembly (WHA), WHO’s decision-making body, which is attended by representatives of all Member States, and is a key forum to advocate for evidence-informed health policies and resolutions.

Cochrane was represented at this year’s Executive Board meeting by Governing Board member, Emma Persad; CEO, Catherine Spencer; and Advocacy and Partnerships Officer, Mariam Salman.

The session began with an opening statement by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. He highlighted the key achievements of the past 12 months and welcomed the adoption of the Fourteenth General Programme Of Work (GPW14), which Cochrane were invited to consult on through our NSA in official relations status.

He mentioned that maternal health is the theme for World Health Day this year and that although we have made progress on maternal and child mortality, we still have a long way to go to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Director-General also applauded Science Division, stating that its normative and standard-setting function is helping ensure that Member States are given the highest quality, evidence-based advice as fast as possible.

As part of the discussions, Cochrane submitted a statement to the Executive Board for consideration. Our statement supported the adoption of a draft resolution on strengthening national capacities in evidence-based decision making, as well as advocating for the production of high-quality evidence.  The full statement can be read below:

“Honorable Chair, Esteemed Delegates,

For over 30 years, the Cochrane Collaboration has been at the forefront of improving global health and life expectancy. We produce high-quality and trusted synthesized evidence to inform health decision making.

In a dramatically changing world with overlapping global health challenges, this is more vital now than ever.

We therefore urge Member States to adopt the Resolution titled “Strengthening national capacities in evidence-based decision making for the uptake and impact of norms and standards”

We also acknowledge that in order to ensure the production of high-quality evidence, the relevant WHO departments need core, recurrent funding for this essential function to continue its impact on a country-level.

We are pleased to see the alignment between WHO’s priorities and the Cochrane Collaboration’s Scientific Strategy, and express our sincerest gratitude and support in our ongoing engagement.”

• For more information on the work that Cochrane does with WHO and this year’s Executive Board meeting, please email msalman@cochrane.org.
• Find out more about the 156th session of the Executive Board.

We are pleased to announce that earlier this week, Cochrane’s status as a non-State actor (NSA) in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) was renewed at the 156th session of the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva.

The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified representatives from different Member States, elected for three-year terms. Every year, the Executive Board meets at WHO headquarters to discuss global health priorities for the year ahead and sets the agenda for the World Health Assembly.

The renewal of our official relations status is underpinned by a new joint plan of work for the next three years, which focuses on providing WHO with evidence syntheses that will help inform guidelines, the essential medicines list, methodological assistance and training, supporting activities that facilitate the use of evidence in policymaking at country, regional and global levels, alongside other technical assistance.

This official relation status also enables us to join and make statements at key WHO meetings as a non-voting participant. This includes the World Health Assembly (WHA), WHO’s decision-making body, which is attended by representatives of all Member States, and is a key forum to advocate for evidence-informed health policies and resolutions.

Cochrane was represented at this year’s Executive Board meeting by Governing Board member, Emma Persad; CEO, Catherine Spencer; and Advocacy and Partnerships Officer, Mariam Salman.

The session began with an opening statement by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. He highlighted the key achievements of the past 12 months and welcomed the adoption of the Fourteenth General Programme Of Work (GPW14), which Cochrane were invited to consult on through our NSA in official relations status.

He mentioned that maternal health is the theme for World Health Day this year and that although we have made progress on maternal and child mortality, we still have a long way to go to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Director-General also applauded Science Division, stating that its normative and standard-setting function is helping ensure that Member States are given the highest quality, evidence-based advice as fast as possible.

As part of the discussions, Cochrane submitted a statement to the Executive Board for consideration. Our statement supported the adoption of a draft resolution on strengthening national capacities in evidence-based decision making, as well as advocating for the production of high-quality evidence.  The full statement can be read below:

“Honorable Chair, Esteemed Delegates,

For over 30 years, the Cochrane Collaboration has been at the forefront of improving global health and life expectancy. We produce high-quality and trusted synthesized evidence to inform health decision making.

In a dramatically changing world with overlapping global health challenges, this is more vital now than ever.

We therefore urge Member States to adopt the Resolution titled “Strengthening national capacities in evidence-based decision making for the uptake and impact of norms and standards”

We also acknowledge that in order to ensure the production of high-quality evidence, the relevant WHO departments need core, recurrent funding for this essential function to continue its impact on a country-level.

We are pleased to see the alignment between WHO’s priorities and the Cochrane Collaboration’s Scientific Strategy, and express our sincerest gratitude and support in our ongoing engagement.”

• For more information on the work that Cochrane does with WHO and this year’s Executive Board meeting, please email msalman@cochrane.org.
• Find out more about the 156th session of the Executive Board.

Cochrane proudly celebrates the incredible efforts of our volunteer translators in 2024. Their dedication has been instrumental in breaking language barriers and making high-quality health information accessible to communities worldwide.

This year, more than 730 volunteers actively contributed to our translation programme, with 48.6% coming from lower- or middle-income countries. Some language teams work with a larger number of volunteers than others, showcasing the diverse nature of our global multi-language programme.

In 2024 alone, our translation teams have published over 6,056 new or updated plain language summaries—and, for some languages, abstracts as well—bringing the total number of review summary translations to an impressive 54,272. This extraordinary collective effort ensures that Cochrane's trusted, evidence-based health information reaches those who need it most, regardless of the language they speak.

Beyond the numbers, the dedication of our volunteers is truly inspiring. Many of them balance their translation work with professional and personal commitments, yet they remain steadfast in their mission to improve global health literacy. 

Inès Belalem, volunteer in the French translation team, shared:

Pagakrong Lumbiganon from the Thai translation team reflected:

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone involved in Cochrane’s translation projects for their unwavering commitment. Your contributions are invaluable, and together, we are making a meaningful impact on global health.

Thank you for being an essential part of Cochrane’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality health information to all.

Cochrane translates evidence-based health information into multiple languages to improve accessibility and reduce linguistic barriers to global evidence-informed health decisions. We regularly translate content into languages including Croatian, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Thai, and Traditional Chinese.

Only around 6% of the world’s population are native English speakers, and 75% of people do not speak English at all. Many individuals lack access to high-quality health information simply because it is not available in a language they understand. By translating Cochrane evidence, we aim to bridge this gap and ensure that everyone, regardless of language, can make informed health decisions.

•  If you are interested in joining our community of volunteer translators and contributing to this vital work, please click here for more information on how to get involved.

Cochrane proudly celebrates the incredible efforts of our volunteer translators in 2024. Their dedication has been instrumental in breaking language barriers and making high-quality health information accessible to communities worldwide.

This year, more than 730 volunteers actively contributed to our translation programme, with 48.6% coming from lower- or middle-income countries. Some language teams work with a larger number of volunteers than others, showcasing the diverse nature of our global multi-language programme.

In 2024 alone, our translation teams have published over 6,056 new or updated plain language summaries—and, for some languages, abstracts as well—bringing the total number of review summary translations to an impressive 54,272. This extraordinary collective effort ensures that Cochrane's trusted, evidence-based health information reaches those who need it most, regardless of the language they speak.

Beyond the numbers, the dedication of our volunteers is truly inspiring. Many of them balance their translation work with professional and personal commitments, yet they remain steadfast in their mission to improve global health literacy. 

Inès Belalem, volunteer in the French translation team, shared:

Pagakrong Lumbiganon from the Thai translation team reflected:

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone involved in Cochrane’s translation projects for their unwavering commitment. Your contributions are invaluable, and together, we are making a meaningful impact on global health.

Thank you for being an essential part of Cochrane’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality health information to all.

Cochrane translates evidence-based health information into multiple languages to improve accessibility and reduce linguistic barriers to global evidence-informed health decisions. We regularly translate content into languages including Croatian, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Thai, and Traditional Chinese.

Only around 6% of the world’s population are native English speakers, and 75% of people do not speak English at all. Many individuals lack access to high-quality health information simply because it is not available in a language they understand. By translating Cochrane evidence, we aim to bridge this gap and ensure that everyone, regardless of language, can make informed health decisions.

•  If you are interested in joining our community of volunteer translators and contributing to this vital work, please click here for more information on how to get involved.

There are many Cochrane Reviews of possible treatments for dementia. One of the earliest of these looked at the effects of a drug called galantamine, which is found in daffodil bulbs, and the review was updated in November 2024.

The Cochrane Collaboration has produced several systematic reviews of interventions focusing on the problem of antimicrobial resistance. In January 2025, these were added to with a new review about the role of community pharmacies and, in this podcast, Sadatoshi Matsuoka, talks with lead author Moe Moe Thandar from the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Japan about this pressing issue.

New Cochrane Library feature will help Information Specialists and systematic review authors produce trustworthy evidence.

Cochrane has launched a new feature in CENTRAL, our database of reports of clinical trials, to identify and flag publications that have been retracted by the publisher.

Cochrane's policy for managing potentially problematic studies states that studies with associated retractions should not be included in Cochrane reviews. This has previously been harder to achieve than it should be due to inconsistent ways of tagging published retractions that affects their accessibility and discoverability. But recent developments to standardise retractions and open the curated Retraction Watch database are helping address this.

To help Information Specialists and systematic review authors produce timely and trustworthy evidence that does not include problematic studies, we have been working hard to identify when a report of a randomized controlled trial is retracted; and to consistently label these as retracted publications in CENTRAL, with publication type label Retracted publication:pt. You can read our FAQ page on retracted publications to find out more about what sources we are using to identify these, and our plans to use additional sources in the future to identify more.

This month we launch the first feature that helps users of CENTRAL (Cochrane’s database of trials) on the Cochrane Library better identify retracted publications in CENTRAL. When a user of Search Manager conducts a search, and views results in the Trials tab, if their search results contain records to papers retracted by the publisher a banner will appear, alerting them:

This will mean that when conducting a search for a review, it will be easier to identify known retracted publications. Why do we say ‘known’ retracted publications? In practice, “Although a journal may retract a publication, the communication of that retraction is often incomplete, both in the use of vague retraction notices with euphemistic language and the inconsistent and ineffective annotation of retracted publications.” (Bakker 2024). 

This work doesn’t end here, we need to do more to ensure that studies with associated retractions are not included in Cochrane reviews. There are additional challenges because, 'identifying retracted publications is important but logistically challenging; publications may be retracted while a review is in preparation or in press and problems with a publication may also be discovered after the evidence synthesis is published' (Bakker 2024).

We are currently linking those studies we have identified with retracted publications to published and in progress Cochrane reviews. Developments will also include automatic ways to inform the authors of these Cochrane reviews about the retractions, in order to proactively address this challenge; and to ensure that Cochrane remains the home of trustworthy evidence.

CENTRAL is a unique source for identifying reports of randomized controlled trials retracted by publishers. Want to make the most of this valuable data source, and the new feature on the Cochrane Library? There is further information available on the Cochrane Library, and in this short video below which offers practical tips for users of CENTRAL via Search Manager on the Cochrane Library.

Bakker C, Boughton S, Faggion CM, Fanelli D, Kaiser K, Schneider J. Reducing the residue of retractions in evidence synthesis: ways to minimise inappropriate citation and use of retracted data. BMJ Evidence Based Medicine 2024;29:121-126. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjebm-2022-111921]

New Cochrane Library feature will help Information Specialists and systematic review authors produce trustworthy evidence.

Cochrane has launched a new feature in CENTRAL, our database of reports of clinical trials, to identify and flag publications that have been retracted by the publisher.

Cochrane's policy for managing potentially problematic studies states that studies with associated retractions should not be included in Cochrane reviews. This has previously been harder to achieve than it should be due to inconsistent ways of tagging published retractions that affects their accessibility and discoverability. But recent developments to standardise retractions and open the curated Retraction Watch database are helping address this.

To help Information Specialists and systematic review authors produce timely and trustworthy evidence that does not include problematic studies, we have been working hard to identify when a report of a randomized controlled trial is retracted; and to consistently label these as retracted publications in CENTRAL, with publication type label Retracted publication:pt. You can read our FAQ page on retracted publications to find out more about what sources we are using to identify these, and our plans to use additional sources in the future to identify more.

This month we launch the first feature that helps users of CENTRAL (Cochrane’s database of trials) on the Cochrane Library better identify retracted publications in CENTRAL. When a user of Search Manager conducts a search, and views results in the Trials tab, if their search results contain records to papers retracted by the publisher a banner will appear, alerting them:

This will mean that when conducting a search for a review, it will be easier to identify known retracted publications. Why do we say ‘known’ retracted publications? In practice, “Although a journal may retract a publication, the communication of that retraction is often incomplete, both in the use of vague retraction notices with euphemistic language and the inconsistent and ineffective annotation of retracted publications.” (Bakker 2024). 

This work doesn’t end here, we need to do more to ensure that studies with associated retractions are not included in Cochrane reviews. There are additional challenges because, 'identifying retracted publications is important but logistically challenging; publications may be retracted while a review is in preparation or in press and problems with a publication may also be discovered after the evidence synthesis is published' (Bakker 2024).

We are currently linking those studies we have identified with retracted publications to published and in progress Cochrane reviews. Developments will also include automatic ways to inform the authors of these Cochrane reviews about the retractions, in order to proactively address this challenge; and to ensure that Cochrane remains the home of trustworthy evidence.

CENTRAL is a unique source for identifying reports of randomized controlled trials retracted by publishers. Want to make the most of this valuable data source, and the new feature on the Cochrane Library? There is further information available on the Cochrane Library, and in this short video below which offers practical tips for users of CENTRAL via Search Manager on the Cochrane Library.

Bakker C, Boughton S, Faggion CM, Fanelli D, Kaiser K, Schneider J. Reducing the residue of retractions in evidence synthesis: ways to minimise inappropriate citation and use of retracted data. BMJ Evidence Based Medicine 2024;29:121-126. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjebm-2022-111921]

Cochrane peer reviewers can now feature their peer review activity on their Web of Science profiles thanks to a new collaboration between Cochrane and Clarivate. 

Clarivate operates the Web of Science platform, a database that tracks citations, authorship and contributions in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service allows peer reviewers to track, verify and showcase their work and expertise through the platform.  

“We are extremely grateful to all our peer reviewers, Associate Editors, and Senior Editors who again and again volunteer their expertise and time to actively support Cochrane,” says Colleen Ovelman, Head of Editorial at Cochrane. “As a small token of gratitude, we have ensured that their hard work is now automatically recognized on their Web of Science reviewer profile.” 

All peer reviewers contributing to Cochrane reviews from 15 January 2025 onwards have the option to showcase their contributions on Web of Science. Unfortunately we are not able to recognise historical contributions in this way.  

If you already have a Web of Science profile, you do not need to create a new one to benefit from this service. If you do not yet have a Web of Science profile, you can sign up now for free.  

To ensure your contributions appear on your Web of Science profile: when you next provide feedback on a Cochrane review using an online peer review form in Editorial Manager, please answer 'Yes' to the question "Would you like to receive recognition for this contribution on Web of Science?". A record of your contribution will then be sent automatically from Editorial Manager to your Web of Science profile. The contribution should appear on your profile within 48 hours.  

Don’t forget: your contributions as a peer reviewer also go towards earning you Cochrane Membership. You can track your contributions as a peer reviewer in your Cochrane Account. 

You can get involved in peer review via Cochrane Engage by searching for tasks tagged as methodological, clinical or consumer depending on your role. 

Cochrane peer reviewers can now feature their peer review activity on their Web of Science profiles thanks to a new collaboration between Cochrane and Clarivate. 

Clarivate operates the Web of Science platform, a database that tracks citations, authorship and contributions in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service allows peer reviewers to track, verify and showcase their work and expertise through the platform.  

“We are extremely grateful to all our peer reviewers, Associate Editors, and Senior Editors who again and again volunteer their expertise and time to actively support Cochrane,” says Colleen Ovelman, Head of Editorial at Cochrane. “As a small token of gratitude, we have ensured that their hard work is now automatically recognized on their Web of Science reviewer profile.” 

All peer reviewers contributing to Cochrane reviews from 15 January 2025 onwards have the option to showcase their contributions on Web of Science. Unfortunately we are not able to recognise historical contributions in this way.  

If you already have a Web of Science profile, you do not need to create a new one to benefit from this service. If you do not yet have a Web of Science profile, you can sign up now for free.  

To ensure your contributions appear on your Web of Science profile: when you next provide feedback on a Cochrane review using an online peer review form in Editorial Manager, please answer 'Yes' to the question "Would you like to receive recognition for this contribution on Web of Science?". A record of your contribution will then be sent automatically from Editorial Manager to your Web of Science profile. The contribution should appear on your profile within 48 hours.  

Don’t forget: your contributions as a peer reviewer also go towards earning you Cochrane Membership. You can track your contributions as a peer reviewer in your Cochrane Account. 

You can get involved in peer review via Cochrane Engage by searching for tasks tagged as methodological, clinical or consumer depending on your role. 

A new Cochrane review confirms that antidepressants effectively reduce symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) under trial conditions, although there is limited data on long-term usage.

GAD affects millions of people worldwide and is characterized by excessive worry about everyday issues. Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), are recognized treatments for GAD, recommended by many national bodies including the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. However, misconceptions remain among some healthcare professionals and patients who do not realise that ‘antidepressants’ have wider uses beyond depression, while the term also carries stigma for many people.

The review analyzed 37 randomized controlled trials with over 12,000 participants, comparing antidepressants to a placebo.  Most trials were primarily conducted in high-income countries, including the United States of America and various European countries, and recruited adults of both sexes. In most cases, there were slightly more female participants (~60%) which reflects the clinical prevalence of GAD.

Results showed that antidepressants were more effective than placebo in reducing anxiety symptoms, with a 41% higher response rate among those taking the medication compared to those taking a placebo. The review found no significant difference in dropout rates between those taking antidepressants and those taking a placebo, indicating that these medications are generally well-tolerated.

“We don’t have enough evidence to say how effective they may be in patients with GAD alongside other mental health conditions, which is much more common in clinical practice. Most of the patients I see with GAD also have other mental health conditions, so future trials should investigate the effects of different treatment strategies on patients with multiple conditions."

The review also highlights the lack of data on the long-term effects of antidepressants. Most included trials lasted between 4 to 12 weeks, with no long-term follow-up.

"We don’t have enough information on the potential long-term benefits and harms of antidepressants, even though people often take them for years,” says first author Katarina Kopcalic, who conducted the review at Western University. “This is an area that needs further exploration in future trials.” 

Despite these limitations, the review delivers a clear message: antidepressants are effective for managing GAD, particularly for patients who do not respond well to non-pharmacological treatments. However, more independent, long-term research is needed to understand their full impact, especially in patients with multiple conditions.

• Read the Cochrane review and the plain language summary
• Read the news item in Spanish
• Read the new item in Malay

A new Cochrane review confirms that antidepressants effectively reduce symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) under trial conditions, although there is limited data on long-term usage.

GAD affects millions of people worldwide and is characterized by excessive worry about everyday issues. Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), are recognized treatments for GAD, recommended by many national bodies including the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. However, misconceptions remain among some healthcare professionals and patients who do not realise that ‘antidepressants’ have wider uses beyond depression, while the term also carries stigma for many people.

The review analyzed 37 randomized controlled trials with over 12,000 participants, comparing antidepressants to a placebo.  Most trials were primarily conducted in high-income countries, including the United States of America and various European countries, and recruited adults of both sexes. In most cases, there were slightly more female participants (~60%) which reflects the clinical prevalence of GAD.

Results showed that antidepressants were more effective than placebo in reducing anxiety symptoms, with a 41% higher response rate among those taking the medication compared to those taking a placebo. The review found no significant difference in dropout rates between those taking antidepressants and those taking a placebo, indicating that these medications are generally well-tolerated.

“We don’t have enough evidence to say how effective they may be in patients with GAD alongside other mental health conditions, which is much more common in clinical practice. Most of the patients I see with GAD also have other mental health conditions, so future trials should investigate the effects of different treatment strategies on patients with multiple conditions."

The review also highlights the lack of data on the long-term effects of antidepressants. Most included trials lasted between 4 to 12 weeks, with no long-term follow-up.

"We don’t have enough information on the potential long-term benefits and harms of antidepressants, even though people often take them for years,” says first author Katarina Kopcalic, who conducted the review at Western University. “This is an area that needs further exploration in future trials.” 

Despite these limitations, the review delivers a clear message: antidepressants are effective for managing GAD, particularly for patients who do not respond well to non-pharmacological treatments. However, more independent, long-term research is needed to understand their full impact, especially in patients with multiple conditions.

• Read the Cochrane review and the plain language summary
• Read the news item in Spanish
• Read the new item in Malay

Title:  Administrative Assistant
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £27,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Publishing and Technology Directorate
Closing date: 4 February, 2025

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.

This varied role provides effective and efficient administrative support to the Central Executive Team, with particular support to the Publishing & Technology Directorate. It will also interface with the broader Cochrane Community.

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 everting 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 experience
• 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 4 February, 2025
• 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

Title:  Administrative Assistant
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: £27,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Publishing and Technology Directorate
Closing date: 4 February, 2025

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.

This varied role provides effective and efficient administrative support to the Central Executive Team, with particular support to the Publishing & Technology Directorate. It will also interface with the broader Cochrane Community.

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 everting 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 experience
• 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 4 February, 2025
• 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

Title: Data Scientist
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: circa £55,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Publishing and Technology Directorate
Closing date: 11 February, 2025

As Cochrane’s Data Scientist, you will work with our technology, product and publishing teams to leverage data in supporting the work of Cochrane in advocating for evidence-informed health decision-making worldwide. 

You will be involved in researching, analysing, presenting results, and recommending intelligent solutions to solve problems and address organisational challenges by applying knowledge of data analysis, critical-thinking skills, and healthcare experience/expertise.  You will assist in assessing how data science (including Large Language Models and Artificial Intelligence) can help evolve evidence-based medicine, at the global leader for evidence synthesis.

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally.

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 everting 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 experience
• 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 11 February, 2025
• 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

Title: Data Scientist
Specifications: Permanent – Full Time
Salary: circa £55,000 per annum
Location: (Remote) based in the UK, Germany or Denmark. 
Directorate: Publishing and Technology Directorate
Closing date: 11 February, 2025

As Cochrane’s Data Scientist, you will work with our technology, product and publishing teams to leverage data in supporting the work of Cochrane in advocating for evidence-informed health decision-making worldwide. 

You will be involved in researching, analysing, presenting results, and recommending intelligent solutions to solve problems and address organisational challenges by applying knowledge of data analysis, critical-thinking skills, and healthcare experience/expertise.  You will assist in assessing how data science (including Large Language Models and Artificial Intelligence) can help evolve evidence-based medicine, at the global leader for evidence synthesis.

Joining our team means becoming part of a mission to enhance global health through reliable, evidence-based practices. You'll collaborate with dedicated professionals and partners worldwide to ensure health decisions are informed by the best available data. Our core values — collaboration, relevance, integrity, and quality — guide all our actions. By joining us, you'll contribute to making a significant impact on health outcomes globally.

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 everting 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 experience
• 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 11 February, 2025
• 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