Cochrane publishes high-quality health evidence to improve health for all. The World Health Organization, health professionals and people like you use our evidence to make informed choices about health.

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Video: What are plain language summaries? (1 min 50)

Plain language summaries are summaries of the health evidence that Cochrane produces, written in a way that everyone can understand. 

At Cochrane, we write systematic reviews of research into human health and care. A systematic review is the most reliable way to find out if a particular treatment is effective. Cochrane has its own way of carrying out these reviews, which is respected by health experts across the world.

We write plain language summaries to help people who are not health experts to understand and interpret research findings about many different health topics and conditions. We do this because we want everyone to be able to make well informed health choices, that lead to better health for all. We include a plain language summary In all our systematic reviews. 

What is health evidence and how can it help you?

Cochrane helps me to help myself, and to help many...The Cochrane Library gives you reliable information, up-to-date information, which makes you a more intelligent and more involved patient."  
Sara Yaron, former breast cancer patient, Israel

Cochrane produces high-quality reviews of research into human health to help people make informed choices about health. These reviews are a form of health evidence. We also produce other forms of health evidence for health researchers and professionals.

Each Cochrane review addresses a clearly formulated question. For example: can antibiotics help to alleviate the symptoms of a sore throat? To answer this question, we search for all the medical research on the use of antibiotics to treat a sore throat that involved gathering new data and information. 

Next, we select which research to consider based on certain criteria and standards. That means we only consider good quality research. Then we assess this research using stringent guidelines, to establish whether or not there is conclusive evidence about whether antibiotics are effective in treating a sore throat. This approach is called a 'systematic review'. 

Learn more about systematic reviews

Why are Cochrane reviews reliable?

Cochrane reviews are internationally recognised as the highest standard in evidence-based health care. We update Cochrane reviews regularly to incorporate new research, so that you can base treatment decisions on the most up-to-date and reliable health evidence. Cochrane reviews are widely trusted due to our research methods and policies. 

Find out more about why our evidence is trusted