Recommendations | Implementation of recommendations |
---|---|
Change the wording of bias judgements from ‘Yes/No/Unclear’ to ‘Low/High/Unclear risk of bias’ | Implemented in RevMan version 5.1 and Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0 |
Introduce category headings for selection, performance and detection, attrition, reporting, and other bias | Implemented in RevMan version 5.1 and Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0 |
Split the assessment of blinding into: 1) participants and personnel; and 2) outcome assessment | Implemented partially in RevMan version 5.1 and Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0. Full structural implementation scheduled for RevMan version 6 |
Clarify guidance, particularly for incomplete outcomes and selective outcome reporting, and ‘other sources of bias’ | Guidance improved in Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0. Further guidance development ongoing |
Produce clearer and more explicit guidance on incorporation of RoB assessments into meta-analyses | Further guidance development ongoing |
Weight RoB graphs by study size | Scheduled for RevMan version 6 |
Provide an algorithm for reaching a summary assessment of risk of bias per study/outcome | Working group established in 2012 to develop RoB tool 2.0 with signalling questions introduced into the tool to help guide assessors to make a domain-based judgement in a more structured way |
Develop online guidance and training materials including an online frequently asked questions and a bank of worked examples of assessments | Working group tasked with the development of RoB tool 2.0 |
Assess how frequently Cochrane Review Groups include non-randomized studies in their reviews | Survey completed in 2012 as part of the development of the RoB tool for non-randomized studies |
Develop a RoB tool for the assessment of non-randomized studies | The development of the RoB tool for non-randomized studies started in March 2012 and is expected to finish by the end of 2014 |