The Cochrane Skin Group is a network of people from all over the world committed to producing and updating reviews of trials relating to skin conditions. The process begins with individuals getting together with an important clinical question. They then search for all the relevant published and unpublished trial information, critically appraise it, and summarise that information in such a way that can be understood by healthcare practitioners, consumers and managers. The aim of the Cochrane Skin Group is simply to produce the best possible evidence on the effectiveness of healthcare interventions for people with skin problems.

The Cochrane Skin Group is one of 53 ‘Collaborative Review Groups’ (covering all medical specialties), which together make up the worldwide collaboration Cochrane. The collaboration is organised into different subject areas and fields, and is supported by national centres.

This international organisation exists to help people make well-informed decisions about healthcare. It publishes the systematic reviews prepared by the review groups in an electronic library (the Cochrane Library).

The Skin Group was registered as a Cochrane entity in December 1997. From the very beginning, consumer involvement has been prominent, and the group has been truly international and multi-disciplinary. The Cochrane Skin Group’s Editorial Base is in Nottingham, UK, with infrastructure support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)/ Department of Health.

For more information on the Cochrane Skin Group's background, structure and scope, please see Williams H, Bigby M, Diepgen T, Herxheimer A, Naldi L, Rzany B. Evidence-Based Dermatology. Second Edition. WileyBlackwell 2008.

If you are interested in becoming a member, please fill in a membership form and email it to csg@nottingham.ac.uk.