Swiss citizens receive free access to the Cochrane Library

11.01.2016 10:25

In the future, all Swiss people - including medical laypeople - will be able to research free of charge in the Cochrane Library and find out about health problems, their diagnosis and treatment using the systematic reviews found there.

This is made possible by a so-called national license for the Cochrane Library, which applies to every computer in Switzerland. It is financed by the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SALV), the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) and contributions from university libraries and hospitals. The “Cochrane” network has been producing systematic reviews for over 20 years in which research results on health care issues are summarized. These reviews are internationally recognized as a quality standard and reflect the current state of knowledge.

Around 37,000 people from over 130 countries contribute to Cochrane's work. Based on scientific methods, they provide health information that they claim is reliable and free of commercial sponsorship or other conflicts of interest. The national Cochrane groups are based in academic and medical institutions.