Cochrane Steering Group Minutes 30 Sept 94

Steering Group Minutes
Steering group minutes, Friday 30 Sept. 1994, Hamilton, Canada

Present: Hilda Bastian (HB), Iain Chalmers (IC), Carl Counsell (CC), Kay Dickersin (KD), Peter Gotzsche (PG), Brian Haynes (BH), Andy Oxman (AO), David Sackett (DS), Chris Silagy (CS), Valter Torri (VT).

Apologies: Kjell Asplund, Alessandro Liberati.

In Attendance: Muir Gray (MG) (30 Sept. only)

Notes: Sally Hunt

I. URGENT MATTERS FOR CURRENT COLLOQUIUM:

Workshops were to accommodate a total of 150 people; 300 have booked and there will be overcrowding in some rooms. It was suggested that convenors give feedback to the general meeting on Tuesday. It was important to encourage all participants toattend the general meeting to discuss the future of the Collaboration, and the Colloquium arranged for Oslo in 1995.

II. OTHER URGENT MATTERS, NOT ON THE AGENDA:

None.

III. INCORPORATION AND CONSTITUTION OF THE COCHRANE COLLABORATION

The Chair tabled a draft Memorandum and articles of association of the Cochrane Collaboration. An explanation of its basis followed, specifically the items relating to insurance, charitable status, tax exemption and procedures for the Steering Group to function.

A discussion followed and the Steering Group (SG) agreed to endorse the name "The Cochrane Collaboration" for the registration application. The SG asked the Chair to proceed with negotiations. In addition the SG made the following recommendations:

i. The document incorporates the Collaboration's six basic principles.

ii. The document should be gender neutral.

iii. Clarification of the different arrangements for proxy votes applying to individuals and organisations.

iv. Following redrafting, the document should be re-circulated again for further consideration.

Action: DS

IV. GROWTH OF THE COCHRANE COLLABORATION

4a. Steering Group Executive Function & Executive Officer

The SG agreed there was need to recruit an Executive Officer (EO) to manage the following:

i. The information contained in the Directories of CRGs, Fields and Methods Groups.

ii. Managing the new registration of groups.

iii. Fund-raising.

iv. Promoting the Collaboration.

DS expressed concern about the speed of response to groups wishing to register needs to be faster. AO suggested that the Canadian CC may be able to assist the Informatics group to set up systems for managing the registration process.

Action:BH, CS

4b. Registration Of Crgs And Methods Groups

Various proposals for registration processes were circulated, as was a draft letter to Methods Groups.

4c. Registration Of Fields

It was proposed that Field registration should be handled in the same way as for CRGs.

4d. Representation Of Crgs And Fields On The Steering Group

A general discussion ensued about how best to represent the interests of those involved in the Collaboration. KD suggested that representation on the SG could be by the nature of the function of the organisation. Table 1 illustrates the Steering group functions

Steering Group Functions:

Main Roles:- Voting, Doing, Policy Making, Colloquium, Group Registration.

Advisory roles:- Handbook, Registries, Informatics, Communications, Newsletters, Software Devt, Evaluation, Quality Monitoring.

Observational Roles- Funders, Publishers, Users.

Output:- Reviews, CDSR, Register of Trials.

Co-ordinating Roles:- Centres, CRGs, Fields, Consumers.

BH suggested that there should be an executive committee (Chair, EO, 4/5 members), plus nominating committee. The business meeting could then comprise a larger group, plus the executive. MG suggested that Centre Directors should meet at least once a year to facilitate communication. CS suggested that a final decision about the constitution be made after the business meeting.

AO wanted a firm proposal put to the business meeting suggesting that the SG be kept to about 10-12 people. CRGs 3, Centres 6, Fields 1, Consumers 1-3, Methods Groups should report through DS/AO. Future colloquia should be organised so that different Cochrane groups could meet at the beginning of the event. The SG would meet after this, when groups have nominated their representatives, the SG could then see what skills were needed to complement the group. HB suggested that existing SG stay until 1995 when groups have nominated their representatives. CS suggested a geographical representation of the SG. CC suggested rotating the representation of the CRGs. KD suggested a greater racial/ ethnic diversity would be sensible.

Action: AO, DS, IC, MG

4e. Directories of individuals, CRGs, Fields, Methods Groups, etc.

CC reported that the Stroke Group had publicised its existence and people have contacted them for the Handbook and software. It is unknown whether any of these people will do reviews. Groups need reminding of their responsibility to maintain full details of their reviewers and include these details in the modules of edited reviews.

CS suggested that decisions need making about how to organise the list of contacts. There are several factors to bear in mind;

i. Entries to the directories can be managed centrally with the information available on the Internet.

ii. Close collaboration is necessary to avoid duplication.

iii. The information should be available as widely as possible.

PG suggested that the 4PEOPLE file from the CC directory should only be available to Cochrane Centres

DS and the EO will edit public information for CRGs and Methods Groups. CS will provide the same service for Fields and registered individuals.

Action: DS, CS, EO

Concern was expressed about using MeSH terms to index individuals and reviews. A new Methods Group should investigate alternative indexing systems. Global decisions are required about how to index everything within the CC to avoid duplication.

Action: AO, IC

CS suggested that the directories do not need splitting and are managable centrally. Three main functions having been identified:

- Fund-raising

- Promotion of the Collaboration

- Administration and management of CRGs, Fields and Methods Groups registration.

CS will set up the directories and will liaise with the Informatics Group to select suitable software to manage this function. The Australasian Cochrane Centre will act as data manager for the contacts and groups database to assist the executive function of the Steering Group.

Action: CS

AO reported he has begun to arrange meetings with key people in CRGs with the intention of developing guidelines to help them manage their contacts. It is important to get people used to helping themselves via the Internet, remembering that not everyone has access.

Action: AO

It was agreed that registered CRGs, Fields and Methods Groups can use the Collaboration stationery. CS has copies available of the scanned in logo.

Action: CS

4f. Communication within the Cochrane Collaboration

PG expressed concern about documents being circulated undated, etc. It is important to have these dated, sourced and preferably with a letter of explanation attached. Everyone needs informing of software modifications. Those with access to suiable Computers should sign on to the information lists that exist on the Internet. Communications management is important, though there are implications such as:

i. The provision of information can be time consuming. Limited resources require that this function is shared.

ii. Internet access raises expectations that information is immediately available. It is essential to explain that delays may be possible.

Action: Centre Directors

CS suggested that enquirers should contact their own Cochrane Centre for resource materials rather than the UK Cochrane Centre.

The format of Internet documents caused some concerns for PG. R. Hayward is defining guidelines to solve this problem.

Action: Canadian Cochrane Centre

V. Territorial responsibilities for each Cochrane centre

IC suggested that everyone registered in the contact directory should have a 'reference' Cochrane centre. Each existing Centre should be responsible for a geographical area of the world based on whole countries. There is need for a system to work out the allocation of individuals and groups to Centres. It was agreed that the management of a large and widely dispersed group is most effective when the sub groups report to their reference Centre. New Cochrane Centres will spread the load.

Action: See map for Steering Group meeting on 3rd October 1995

VI. Dealing with impostors

DS reported that applications to the Department of Health (UK) for funding are being made by people falsely claiming to be a part of the Cochrane Collaboration. BH noted that some researchers doing systematic reviews also made false claims. CS confirmed that this also happens in Australia.

The SG agreed that a letter of endorsement from a reference Cochrane Centre accompanying a funding application would help to stop this practice.

There was agreement that procedures for dealing with fraudulent claims need improvement. DS & IC are in the process of drafting as document that will give a description of the Collaboration and its activities. This paper is for circulation at the next Steering Group meeting. Principal items are:

i. The need for those seeking funding to contact Cochrane Centres for letters of support.

ii. Funding bodies need to contact the reference contact Centre for clarification.

Action: DS, IC

VII. Cochrane Reviews

Item carried over to the next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday 5 October 1995.

VIII. 1995 Edition of the Handbook

Item carried over to the next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday 5 October 1995.

IX. Agenda for the Business meeting (day 4 of the colloquium)

Organisation of the Business meeting. Chaired by Lelia Duley (convenor)

1. Welcome statement by BH. (5 mins)

2. Presentations (5 mins) unless otherwise stated, by:

Peter Gotzsche - Growth of the Collaboration

Kay Dickersin - Number of trials identified for NLM

Charles Warlow - Perspective from Stroke Group and CRGs generally (60mins)

Chris Silagy - Fields

Andy Oxman/dave Sackett - Methods Groups (10 mins)

Hilda Bastian - Consumers

Muir Gray - Funders

Funders from the floor (15 mins)

3. Incorporation and composition of the Steering Group

Dave Sackett (15 mins)

4. Improvement of the future Collaboration

Feedback session (30 mins)

5. Improvement of future Colloquia

Feedback session (20 mins)

6. Communication - Newsletter

Chris Silagy

7. Concluding remarks

Dave Sackett