The history of The Cochrane Library

What is it about?

The Cochrane Collaboration was formed in October 1993 as the culmination of shared ideas and discussions among people with a collective vision to identify randomised controlled trials and to use the findings to prepare systematic reviews to inform healthcare practice and decision-making. At that time, neither The Cochrane Library nor the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) existed. The CDSR was launched in 1995, following on from the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database. Now, the Cochrane Library is an online platform (www.thecochranelibrary.com) hosting a range of databases that provides high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. The databases are complemented with Special Collections of Cochrane Reviews, monthly podcasts, Cochrane Journal Club features, and editorials, as well as supplements for Cochrane Methods and abstracts from the annual Cochrane Colloquia.

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