Table 3.

Key recommendations from “Cochrane Convenes (2022): Preparing for and responding to global health emergencies: learnings from the COVID-19 evidence response and recommendations for the future.”

Incentivizing and encouraging change at system level
	At system level, in order to prepare to serve the needs of decision makers equitably and with high-quality evidence during the next global health emergency, Cochrane Convenes participants recommend:
	providing more financial support for evidence generation, communication, networks and infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries
	working with national and international stakeholders to describe the ideal global evidence system, or service, and what this might require – and then advocating for the necessary conditions
	working towards greater transparency about how (and what) evidence is used in decision making
	harnessing research commissioning and financing as tools to help identify, prioritize, fund and meet national and international research needs equitably.
Reviewing the way research and evidence syntheses are produced and shared
	At a research and research institution level, Cochrane Convenes participants recommend:
	further developing or reviewing research tools, processes, methods and standards to meet the challenges of rapid onset global health emergencies more effectively
	investing in and using new technology to facilitate review processes (using study repositories and databases, crowd screening, and artificial intelligence) and enhance transparency and data sharing
	evaluating the suitability of faster, more agile editorial processes and formats (rapid/ living reviews and preprints)
	investing time and resources in science communications on an ongoing basis – including in people, technology and learning, as well as evaluating what works
	Other recommendations highlight the value of being good partners in support of the changes and recommendations made at system and communication levels, including:
	being alert to – and communicating about – fraudulent trials and studies
	reducing duplication and research waste
	playing a role in building capacity in low- and middle-income countries
	engaging with evidence users – directly and in partnership with others – to help communicate uncertainty and the evolving nature of the evidence.
Reflecting on uncertainty, misinformation and disinformation
	Top-line recommendations on what is needed include:
	researching what works (and where) in terms of both communicating uncertainty and countering mis/disinformation
	building trust through increased collaboration between evidence producers, evidence users and clinical partners
	increasing transparency around public decision-making processes
	considering a form of accreditation and quality approval for official sources of evidence that has met certain quality-control standards making it easier for people to access trustworthy information – considering, for example, the increased engagement of information scientists to help increase both ‘push’ (ensuring people receive and can act on evidence) and ‘pull’ (helping people to find and use evidence), as well as using non traditional formats, channels and champions
	forming multidisciplinary coalitions to hold those deliberately creating and sharing mis/disinformation to account.