CPD POINTS

• A2 – 8 (By MMA)
• A3 – 6 (By MPS)

Evidence synthesis is a fundamental component of the evidence-informed approach to decision-making. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are probably the most established methods of synthesis of evidence. However, the number of such studies is on the increase. The results from these meta-analyses can be inconclusive or contradictory leaving decision-makers uncertain about where to base their conclusions. Umbrella reviews, which are systematic reviews of previous ones, provide an overall assessment of the information available on a topic. Dr Sajesh K. Veettil, who is best recognised for his expertise in evidence synthesis and has worked on several projects for the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and industries will lead this workshop. This one-day comprehensive introductory workshop will introduce methods to perform umbrella reviews. We will cover how to formulate a research question for umbrella reviews, define inclusion and exclusion criteria, search for the evidence, describe a wide range of biases, assess the quality, and rank the evidence of meta-analyses. The requirement for this course is basic knowledge of how to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able:

• To understand how “umbrella review” is making its own place in the global body of scientific literature and how it is contributing to the changing landscape of health sciences.
• To demonstrate the key steps undertaken in a typical umbrella review and understand the key processes involved in each step.
• To understand how to summarize and rank the evidence from meta-analyses.

Speaker

Dr Sajesh K Veettil
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice
School of Pharmacy, International Medical University