Cochrane Patients and the Public

Patients and the public play a vital role in Cochrane

Patient and public involvement is research being carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public, rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them.

When we say 'patients and the public', we mean patients and potential patients, people who use health and social care services, carers, people who use health and social care services, and people or organizations that represent these groups.

Cochrane Patient and Public

  • Use Cochrane evidence to inform healthcare decisions in their own lives or for their families
  • Make sure Cochrane focuses on producing evidence that is important to patients and the public
  • Comment on draft Cochrane Reviews to ensure they are accessible to all
  • Raise the profile of Cochrane evidence among the general public

Get started!

Our free Evidence Essentials course is designed for patients and the public. Learn about health evidence and making informed health choices.

Sign up for our volunteer hub Cochrane Engage. Browse volunteering opportunities for patients and the public and connect with members of the community.

Cochrane Patient and Public Network

Patients and the public can join the Cochrane Patient and Public Network, a large and growing community of people across the world. We welcome all members of the public who are interested in high-quality health evidence.

Join the Cochrane Patient and Public Network

Gabriel Kwok, Singapore

I began volunteering with Cochrane as a peer reviewer, also helping with assignments through the Cochrane Patient and Public Network.

Cochrane enables everyone to take part in vital research, while making it more accessible to the wider public. Everyone is an important stakeholder in healthcare, and it is an exciting privilege contributing to the evidence base underpinning patient care.