Cochrane International Mobility Opportunity. A global exchange programme for the Cochrane Community
Teresa Anna Cantisani, Neurological Sciences Field
Maria Grazia Celani, Neurological Sciences Field
2Neurophisiopathology Department, Perugia Hospital and Neurological Sciences Field, Italy
3Emeritus Director, Neurology Department, USL Umbria and Neurological Sciences Field, Italy
4Neuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA
5Department of Hematology, Syrian Ministry of Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Syria
6Stroke Unit and Neurology Department, San Jacopo Hospital, Pistoia, Italy
7University of Catania, Italy
8Charleston Area Medical Center, Department of Neurology, USA
9Colombian Clinical Research Group in Neurocritical Care, Bogota, Colombia
10Emeritus Professor of Neurology, University of Edinburgh, UK
11Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences University of L’Aquila, Italy
12Statistician, Neurological Sciences Field, Italy
13Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, UK
14Trial search coordinator, Neurological Sciences Field, Italy
Background:
The Cochrane International Mobility programme provides networking opportunities for people to learn from Cochrane colleagues in different parts of the world. The structure connects people and locations, facilitating exchange that enhances international collaboration and sharing best practice within Cochrane. The programme is open to anyone interested in contributing to Cochrane’s work. Cochrane Centres in Sweden, Austria, Italy, and The Netherlands began this initiative with several successful student exchanges. Online courses replaced in-person internships during Covid. The Neurological Sciences Field, following their past experience with in-person training courses in different European countries, including two residential ‘Summer Schools’ held in Umbria, Italy (2018-2019), decided to offer a one-year online course in 2020. An opportunity, given Covid restrictions, to continue training Cochrane methodology.
Objectives:
Training new Cochrane review authors, knowledgeable in Cochrane methodology, with the aim of working together to produce a Cochrane systematic review.
Methods:
The online course was published through Cochrane TaskExchange; applications from neurologists and trainees living and working in different parts of the world were received. Six professionals were accepted, two in the US, two in Italy, one in Syria, one in Colombia. The course began in November 2020 and ended in December 2021 (Image 1). Five online lessons (Fig. 1) and five workshops with expert lecturers were organized (Fig. 2). Exercises were carried out in small groups between each lesson or workshop.
Outcomes:
Publication and successive citations of the review will represent outcome measures.
Conclusions:
Choosing a topic relevant to end-users and working together with course experts and the PaPaS CRG was an enthusiastic experience for new Cochrane authors. The review title proposed is ‘Prophylactic treatment with monoclonal antibodies targeting the CGRP pathway for migraine prevention.’
The protocol has been submitted following Cochrane’s new editorial board process.
Patient, public, and/or healthcare consumer involvement:
Migraines affect over one billion people worldwide and is one of the most common neurological disorders. The review can be of widespread interest for those affected (children, young people, and adults) who suffer from migraine, also evaluating the effectiveness and safety of high-cost pharmaceutical drugs not always available all over the world.