Cochrane reviews and systematic reviews of economic evaluations - Amantadine and rimantadine in the prevention and treatment of influenza

Cochrane reviews provide standardised and regularly updated syntheses of ev idence on the effects of healthcare interventions. We present the rationale for, and some of the results of, a Cochrane review of the effects of amant adine and rimantadine in the prevention and treatment of influenza. The est imates of effect will be incorporated into a decision-making model for tack ling influenza in healthy adults (i.e. soldiers in the British Army). Our s ystematic review of the economics of influenza also provides the internatio nal context within which economic data can be interpreted and assessed as a preliminary to an economic evaluation comparing alternative prevention and treatment strategies. Systematic reviews provide powerful and relatively i nexpensive evidence of effects and tolerability, which is more likely to co nvince decision-makers than evidence from single studies. Additionally, the y can be used to focus clinical trial questions and provide strategic insig ht regarding the state-of-the-art knowledge of effects and economics of com pounds in a specific field.