Rapid evidence synthesis for COVID-19 research


This Cochrane Learning Live webinar aimed to discuss experiences with rapid evidence synthesis to address COVID-19 related research and consisted of three 15 minute presentations, each followed by 5 minutes of questions and answers.

In the first part of the webinar, Dr. Areti Angeliki Veroniki and Dr Andrea C Tricco defined rapid reviews, described methods for rapid reviews, and presented a case example on a rapid review (COVID-19 diagnostic test accuracy network meta-analysis). They also discussed challenges and opportunities related to rapid reviews.

In the second part Clareece Nevill presented how the University of Leicester’s Complex Reviews Support Unit (CRSU) conducted a feasibility study to create an interactive (living) NMA platform – a tailored version of their current NMA web-app MetaInsight COVID-19. MetaInsight COVID-19 was formed allowing stakeholders and other researchers to conduct an NMA on the current COVID-19 data, filter included studies, and add further studies to the database.

In the final part of the webinar, Dr. Anna Chaimani focussed on the experience acquired from building and maintaining an online living platform for COVID-19 studies. She discussed the challenges, opportunities, and potential for further research related to (rapid) living evidence.

The session was delivered in June 2022 and below you will find the videos from the webinar, together with accompanying slides to download [PDF].

Part 1: Rapid reviews on COVID-19 - Challenges and Opportunities
Part 2: MetaInsight COVID-19 - A feasibility study
Part 3: The COVID-NMA project - Building & maintaining an online living platform for COVID-19 studies


Presenter Bio

Dr. Areti-Angeliki Veroniki is a Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation. She is also a co-convenor of the Cochrane Statistical Methods Group.

Dr. Andrea Tricco is a Scientist and Director of the Knowledge Synthesis Team in the Knowledge Translation Program of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health & Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation. She is also a Co-Director and Adjunct Associate Professor of the Queen’s Collaboration for Health Care Quality Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Centre of Excellence at Queen’s University.

Clareece Nevill is a Research Associate at NIHR Complex Reviews Support Unit (CRSU), University of Leicester, UK. She has been a member of the CRSU since April 2020, providing support and conducting research in the field of evidence synthesis. Clareece’s main interests are in developing data visualisations and interactive apps for evidence synthesis, particularly meta-analysis.

Dr. Anna Chaimani is a Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) in Paris, France, and she is the Leader of the Evidence Synthesis team of the Research Center in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS-U1153). She is a co-convenor of the Cochrane Statistical Methods group and of the Cochrane Comparing Multiple Interventions Methods group. She is also a member of the scientific committee of the COVID-NMA initiative led by Cochrane France.


Part 1: Rapid reviews on COVID-19 - Challenges and Opportunities


Part 2: MetaInsight COVID-19 - A feasibility study


Part 3: The COVID-NMA project - Building & maintaining an online living platform for COVID-19 studies


Additional materials

Download the slides from the webinar [PDF]:-

Part 1: Rapid reviews on COVID-19 - Challenges and Opportunities

Part 2: MetaInsight COVID-19 - A feasibility study

Part 3: The COVID-NMA project - Building & maintaining an online living platform for COVID-19 studies