The Cochrane Collaboration

The Cochrane Collaboration is an international organisation that aims to he lp people make well-informed decisions about health care by preparing, main taining and ensuring the accessibility of systematic reviews of the benefit s and risks of health care interventions. We describe the structure and act ivities of the Cochrane Collaboration, especially focusing on the carrying out of systematic reviews of randomised trials. We describe the place of su rgery and surgeons within the Cochrane Collaboration.