Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters

Monitoring global health

BMJ 2005; 330 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.330.7484.196 (Published 20 January 2005) Cite this as: BMJ 2005;330:196

Cochrane Collaboration in developing world could be an answer

  1. Ilyas Mirza, consultant psychiatrist (ilyasmirza{at}blueyonder.co.uk)
  1. Naseberry Court, Chingford, London E4 9QJ

    EDITOR—The need to develop and maintain a robust health information system that is free frompolitical influence is undoubtedly important. The health promotion field of the Cochrane Collaboration has also recognised this need, identified priority areas of global importance, and is commissioning reviews.1 The suggestion by Murray et al ofan independent global organisation sounds similar to the ideals of the Cochrane Collaboration but seems to have a wider scope.2

    One of the problems with such organisations is that these centres are usually based in a developed country—for example, most centres of the Cochrane Collaboration are located in the developed world. An alternative to creating a new body looking at health information could be to help support establishing regional or national centres of a collaboration in the developing world;rather than to have yet another organisation based in a developed country. In my view, this is more likely to contribute to the development of a robust global health information system.

    Footnotes

    • Competing interests IM has an active interest in setting up an independent centre for research evaluation and dissemination in South Asia.

    References

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