The following slides were presented at a meeting

The following slides were presented at a meeting of potential editors and methods advisors for the proposed Cochrane review group in February 2008. The slides were designed to promote discussion rather than represent the views and directions of this group.

Rapid Responses published: My cancer may have saved me from a stroke Kathleen S Cheney Secondhand Misimpressions. . Michael J. Mc. Fadden To Kathleen S Cheney, Craig Anctil (6 April 2004) (7 April 2004) Sample too small to form a conclusion Ben Hirsch (7 April 2004) When results look too good to be true, they probably are Geoffrey C Kabat Science Blinded by Wishfull Thinking Henry F Mizgala (8 April 2004) (9 April 2004) Conclusion as given entirely reasonable Adrian K midgley (9 April 2004) These dramatic findings warrant a more objective view of the study's limitations Linda N Phillips The Puffing Docs. Anil K Chawla (14 April 2004) (24 April 2004) skewing of statistics linda dugiuay (28 April 2004) Can law really make a difference? ? Sheena Surindran (29 April 2004) How strong is the evidence that the observed incidence is attributable to the public smoking ban Kofi O Ofuafor, Dr A Oladipo, Herfordshire, UK Additional Information on Acute Myocardial Infarctions in Helena, Montana Brad Rodu, Philip Cole People should not ignore our fundamental observations Stanton A Glantz, Richard P Sargent and Robert M Shepard Simply Not Science Robert Feal-Martinez Response to Mr. Glanz Dave Hitt (12 May 2004) (25 May 2004) (1 June 2004) (2 June 2004) (4 June 2004) Unrealistic expectations can hinder efforts to expand smoke-free workplace laws Farzad Mostashari, MD MSPH, Thomas R. Frieden, MD MPH Helena: 100 days Michael J. Mc. Fadden (17 July 2004) Helena: 1, 000 days Michael J. Mc. Fadden (4 December 2005) Helena Study Independently Confirmed Stanton A Glantz, Richard Sargent and Robert Shepherd More confirmation of Helena and Pueblo results Stanton A. Glantz (24 December 2005) (11 January 2006) New York City Heart Attack Mortality Data Does Not Necessarily Indicate an Effect of Smoking Ban Michael B. Siegel Helena Study Random Variation Confirmed Brad Rodu, Philip Cole Independently Confirmed? Michael J. Mc. Fadden (14 January 2006) (16 January 2006) Reduction in Secondhand Smoke Exposure Likely Overestimated David W Kuneman (4 March 2006) Re: These dramatic findings warrant a more objective view of the study's limitations Neil R Fell (19 September 2007) Re: These dramatic findings warrant a more objective view of the study's limitations Kevin M. Mulvina (25 November 2007) (9 June 2004)

Questions (1) • Possible to have a standard review protocol to cover all research designs? • Can specific review protocols be matched to intervention type? • Is the CDAG project/programs/policies classification useful?

Questions (2) • Will RCT-driven review methods always relegate non-randomised designs to 2 nd rank / margins? – Policies, programs likely to carry less weight • Internal validity vs. external validity? – Designs, study, review method • Level of inference – Cochrane v theoretical – Realist reviews? Reproducible?

What’s it all for? • Reproducible method to synthesise published data to answer: – What works, for whom, under what circumstances, and why? – efficiency • For knowledge translation / implementation – (function, process, form)