This page outlines our process for handling title proposals and provides instructions on how to submit your title for consideration. 

As a first step, we ask that authors submit a brief outline of their title proposal to Vernon Hedge Managing Editor. Please complete the initial title proposal form. 

That title proposal form you submit will then be checked by the Co-ordinating Editor (Co-Ed) Andrew Smith.

If the Co-Ed considers the proposed title matches the scope of our group and is of interest, you will be invited to complete and return a Review Proposal Form.

Like all Cochrane Review Groups, our resources are limited and we cannot accept all title applications. We have to make difficult decisions as to which titles to register and support. Therefore, if you receive an invitation, it is important that you fully complete the form and make it clear what your participant group, setting and outcomes are, and why the topic is of interest and importance. (For example, used to inform a clinical practice guideline.) Please be aware that we only accept a small proportion of suggested titles (less than 10%).

We make a decision in our Editorial Board Teleconference, from the submitted proposals, as to which titles are important enough to register. This decision process involves a priority setting exercise. Please be aware that we now only decide on new proposals twice a year: April and October. (Although we reserve the right to consider any priority title outside of those dates.) We offer no guarantees that any title proposal will be chosen. It is up to the editorial board to make a final decision. 

Unless justifiable, authors should only submit one title proposal at a time. They should not submit a second until the first has been published as a complete Cochrane review. This is because Cochrane reviews involve a lot of work and take time, and you need to complete one review before taking on a second.

We also ask that authors check that their proposed title will not duplicate or overlap with any work already registered or published with Cochrane.

In addition:
All potential authors need to be aware of the following policies and in particular, the Cochrane rejection policy, which states:

• **Registration of a new title or drafting of the protocol for a Cochrane Review by a specific author team does not guarantee publication for that team
• **Publication of a protocol does not guarantee authorship or publication of the subsequent review
• Publication of a Cochrane Review does not guarantee authorship or publication of an updated version.

(** most often, this is because authors cannot meet deadlines or work to the standards and processes required of a Cochrane review)

Cochrane Rejection Policy
Conflict of Interest Policy
Commercial Sponsorship Policy