Open access to the Cochrane Library!

From October 18 2002, all Australians will have open internet access to the Cochrane Library - a database of the latest evidence, systematically reviewed by experts and updated regularly.

Cochrane Reviews are internationally recognised as the best single source of reliable evidence about the effects of healthcare interventions and other treatments. They cover a wide range of health areas including general practice, nursing, surgery, medicines, complementary therapies, public health and health promotion.

The Cochrane Library also helps to identify areas where insufficient research exists to prove or disprove the effects of certain interventions and can help guide researchers and funders about important questions that remain unanswered.

While the growing number of interventions means only approximately 10% of existing interventions have been reviewed, the Library is expanding rapidly. There are currently over 1,500 completed reviews and another 1,000 in progress, with about 60 new titles being added to every quarterly update of the Library.

Thanks to an initiative by the Federal Minister for Health, Senator Kay Patterson and the National Institute of Clinical Studies (NICS), Australia's national agency for closing the gaps between evidence and practice in healthcare, all Australians will soon have access to this important source of evidence.

For Cochrane Library access go to: http://www.update-software.com/cochrane/
For the NICS Guide, go to: http://www.nicsl.com.au
Access to both sites will be available from October 18,2002.