Agenda:
Although meta-analyses with very few studies are very common, performing meta-analyses in the case of very few studies remains challenging. The heterogeneity parameter cannot be estimated reliably, the choice between the fixed-effect and random-effects model is difficult, and the use of appropriate random-effects models frequently has very low power. This Cochrane Learning Live webinar explains various approaches to performing meta-analyses with very few studies. A framework for choosing a model and selecting an estimation method is described in order to give a useful summary of the study results even if very few studies are available. The session is aimed at anyone interested in performing meta-analyses in the case of very few studies or wants to assess the adequacy of the methods applied for published meta-analyses with very few studies.