The independent evidence base for healthcare decisions
The Cochrane Library evidence access is where clinicians and policymakers go when the question is what the evidence actually says. It is a collection of databases offering independent, high-quality evidence to inform decisions in health, and its main databases can be searched together from a single set of options.
Inside this resource
Independence is the point
The value of this evidence lies in its independence — appraisals conducted without commercial sponsorship, which is what allows a clinician or a committee to treat a conclusion as a starting point rather than a claim to verify.
Several databases, one search in Cochrane Library evidence access
Rather than one monolithic index, it is a collection of databases, and you can reach the content of all the main ones through the same search options — so a question is answered across the whole collection at once.
Made for decisions
Everything here is oriented toward supporting decision-making in healthcare, which shapes how evidence is summarised: not as raw literature to interpret from scratch, but as appraised evidence ready to inform a choice.
Who this serves
- Clinicians — appraised, independent evidence for treatment decisions.
- Guideline and policy groups — high-quality evidence without commercial influence.
- Researchers — the reference collection of systematic evidence.
Before you buy
Is it one database or several?
It is a collection of databases, and the main ones can be searched together from the same search options.
Why does independence matter?
The evidence is produced independently, which is what makes it a trusted basis for clinical and policy decisions.
The chart
| Format | Evidence database collection (subscription) |
|---|---|
| Content | Independent appraised evidence |
| Search | Across all main databases |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Department | Citations |
| Delivery | Emailed once your order is verified |




S. Andersen –
The gold standard for appraised evidence. Not every question has a review yet, but where one exists it is definitive.
Dr. Helena M. –
When a rep quotes a trial at me I check here first. Independent appraisal settles the argument quickly.
guideline_lead –
We build our guidance on this. Searching all the databases at once saves real time.
Dr. Kwame O. –
Clear, decision-oriented summaries. Exactly what a busy clinician needs.
phd_lior –
Invaluable when a review covers your question. Coverage is necessarily narrower than a general database, but the quality is unmatched.