CRD NEWS RELEASE
Friday, 15 June 2007
CRD announces new funding to increase the number of quality assessed
systematic reviews added to DARE (the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of
Effects).
Systematic reviews are widely recognised as reliable sources of information
about the effects of healthcare interventions. But as with individual
studies, they can be hard to find, may have flaws and can be difficult to
interpret.
Since 1994, CRD has provided a solution to these problems by producing and
maintaining DARE, a database which uniquely provides access to over 4500
abstracts of quality assessed and critically appraised systematic reviews.
The database has become a key resource for health professionals, policy
makers and researchers around the world. It is free to access via the CRD
website (www.crd.york.ac.uk/) and is also an important component of the
Cochrane Library.
Since the inception of DARE, the number of systematic reviews being produced
world wide has been increasing year on year. This growth is expected to
continue as systematic reviews expand into new areas of health and social
care. In light of this, additional resources for DARE have recently been
agreed with the Department of Health with effect from October 2007.
CRD Director Lesley Stewart said; "although CRD is currently producing a
high volume of new abstracts (over 600 abstracts are added every year),
current resource has not enabled us to keep pace with the rising number of
available reviews. This additional capacity will enable us to keep DARE up
to date and by doing so enhance its usefulness to users."
Plans to recruit new review staff and additional external abstractors to
deal with the extra work are already in place and we hope to start the
expansion later this year.
Further information can be obtained from Paul Wilson, Tel: 01904 321073;
email: [log in to unmask]
Julie Glanville
Associate Director
CRD
University of York
York
YO10 5DD
United Kingdom
t: +44 (0)1904 321096
f: +44 (0)1904 321041
e: [log in to unmask]
www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd
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