Table 1 Eligibility criteria for meta-analyses
Feature | Include | Exclude |
|---|---|---|
Design | MA of randomised controlled trials, including secondary analyses thereof | Narrative reviews; systematic reviews without quantitative synthesis of treatment effect estimates, MA not based on randomised controlled trials |
Patients and settings | Humans, no age restriction, any country, any setting | Veterinary trials, MA restricted to specific age or gender groups |
Indications | MA covering any indication, disease or symptom | MA restricted to specific indications, indication groups or clinical domains |
Interventions | Homoeopathy, defined as: a) Prevention or treatment with homoeopathic medicinal productsa, i.e. products manufactured by a method described in a homoeopathic pharmacopoeia (mandatory) b) Homoeopathic case-taking (optional) [19] | Any other new intervention (but continuation of ongoing therapy does not lead to exclusion) Homoeopathic case taking without use of homoeopathic medicinal products MA restricted to specific homoeopathic products or product groups |
Comparators | Placebo | MA not including placebo-controlled trials |
Outcomes | MA of therapeutic benefit, measured by any clinically relevant outcome | MA not including therapeutic benefit (e.g. use or safety only) |
Report time frame | MA publications from 1 Jan. 1990 up to 30 Apr. 2023 | MA publications after 30 Apr. 2023 |
Report language | Any language | Â |
Publication, general aspects | All three criteria (a–c) must be fulfilled: a) written and dated reports with identifiable authors b) which are or have been in the public domain OR have been submitted to a third party c) with presentation of methods and results in sufficient detail, allowing for assessment of the research questions in a meaningful way |  |
Publication subject | 1. Protocol for a MA 2. Primary publication of a MA 3. Additional analyses: all criteria (a–c) must be fulfilled a) pertaining to a MA included in this systematic review b) presenting results not included in the primary MA publication c) contributing to the assessment of the research questions in a meaningful way |  |