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Potential overlap with ongoing or published reviews

On occasion, a Cochrane Review or a protocol for a Cochrane Review may be developed by different author teams concurrently but independently. This can be avoided if a Cochrane Review Group (CRG) has a good communication system, but occasionally duplication does occur. In this situation the different author teams should be encouraged to combine their energies and produce a single Cochrane Review, or alternatively split the topic into two Cochrane Reviews, taking care not to duplicate effort in the process. To help to avoid such duplication, titles of new Cochrane Reviews are registered in Archie. Publishing the titles of protocols under development in the CRG's newsletter may also help to avoid duplication.

Potential overlap with new titles

As the number of Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) increases, so does the likelihood that the scope of CRGs can coincide or have common interests. Several factors may contribute to potential overlaps in various aspects of a review question. Whilst an overlap may be unavoidable, early consultation and collaboration can reduce duplication and ensure that review authors are supported by the most appropriate CRG for their review question. This document provides guidance for these decisions and a transparent arbitration procedure in the eventuality that CRGs are unable to agree on the most appropriate CRG to host a review.

Overlap can occur at any juncture of the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes (PICO) process. For example:

• Population with the condition of interest can have co-morbidities, present with, or be treated in multiple settings.
• Treatments (Intervention) can have multiple applications or be offered in different settings.
• Comparison treatments can be different, or offered in different settings.
• Outcomes can be specific to a setting, or be evaluated in different conditions and in different populations.

CRGs that have obvious overlaps will find it helpful to develop strategies to manage situations on an ongoing basis. If they are unable to agree in specific circumstances, they will refer the title and any supporting documentation to the Editor in Chief.

The aim is that reviews should differentiate on at least one of the PICO categories, i.e. Population, Intervention, Comparison or Outcome.

Steps to resolve potential overlap with new title

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