Cochrane, a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health, is proud to announce its newest Centre, ‘Cochrane Colombia’.

Cochrane Colombia will promote evidence-based decision making in healthcare in Colombia by supporting and training authors of Cochrane Reviews, as well as working with clinicians, professional associations, policy-makers, patients, and the media to encourage the dissemination and use of Cochrane evidence.

Cochrane works with collaborators from more than 130 countries to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest.  Cochrane’s work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information. Institutions from Colombia have been involved in the Cochrane Iberoamerica Network for many years. Establishing Cochrane Colombia as a full Centre is a next step in its development. The Centre brings together three institutions – the Pontifical Xavierian University, through the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics; the National University of Colombia through the Institute of Clinical Research; and, the University of Antioquia thorough the Faculty of Medicine– that will jointly manage the activities of Cochrane Colombia. In addition, five institutions will join as Cochrane Affiliates.



In its first phase, Cochrane Colombia will be coordinated and led by Professor Maria Ximena Rojas-Reyes from the Pontifical Xaverian University: “The launch of Cochrane Colombia is a recognition to the voluntary work done for years by different Colombian professors, students and health care professionals that believe in evidence based health care. Producing and increasing the dissemination of the best available information on healthcare is critical for clinicians and patients everywhere in the world. The centers that today give life to Cochrane Colombia have been working hard for more than 20 years in promoting the use of evidence in health care and policy decisions in our country. With the establishment of Cochrane Colombia as a formal Centre, we can expand our work, to support the synthesis of evidence according with Colombia´s needs for health decision making, while continuing the training people in the use of evidence and particularly the Cochrane evidence” 

Hernando G Gaitán, Coordinating Editor of the Cochrane Sexually Transmitted Infections Group: "The Cochrane Colombia Centre will strengthen the leadership that Colombian researchers have in knowledge translation products such as Clinical Practice Guidelines and Health Technology assessment reports.  Also with the new Center different opportunities for training and participation in Systematic Reviews will come up and we are sure the Groups, and authors, located in Colombia will improve their performance."

Xavier Bonfill, director of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Center and Network, expresses his congratulations: “The launch of Cochrane Colombia is a culmination of many years of Colombian participation in the Cochrane Collaboration and, specifically, in the Iberoamerican Network. Progressively, a variety of people working in different institutions have been involved as authors, trainers or have contributed in other important tasks such as trials identification, as it is reflected in the corresponding data. Now there are the necessary conditions for assuming the challenges of being a national Centre, which should bring more opportunities for working together and making more significant contributions to Cochrane and to their country”.

Cochrane’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Wilson, warmly welcomed today’s news: “I am delighted we are announcing the launch of Cochrane Colombia, which I’m confident will deepen and expand the reach and impact of Cochrane activities on health and healthcare decision-making across Colombia and therefore improve health outcomes for its 50 million citizens.”

Cochrane Colombia will remain closely connected to the Cochrane Iberoamerican Network, through which methodological support, mentoring, and supervision will be provided.

• For more information on the work of the Cochrane Colombia, please visit the Cochrane Colombia website.
• On the website, you will also find more information about the First symposium of Cochrane Colombia, taking in place in Bogota, on March 4 & 5, 2019.