The Cochrane Patient-Reported Outcomes Methods Group (PRO MG). Launched in 1993, the Cochrane Collaboration is an international organisation that aims at helping people to take well-informed decisions about health care “by preparing, maintaining and promoting the accessibility of systematic reviews of the effects of health care interventions”.

The PRO MG was formally registered within the Cochrane Collaboration in May 2001. The module develops the objectives of the MG, provides information about its activities, its organization and its active members. 

In the beginning of 2005, the Methods Group Representatives of the Monitoring and Registration Group of the Cochrane Collaboration approved the change of name from 'Health Related Quality of Life Methods Group' to the 'Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) Methods Group'. The change of name clarifies the focus of the PRO methods group on outcomes self-reported by RCT participants. These outcomes may include health status, quality of life, adherence to treatment recommendations and satisfaction with treatment. The concepts in these outcome measures may be symptoms, reports of activities, feelings, or other constructs included in diaries, questionnaires, or interviews. Investigators may obtain PROs using any method of data collection, including paper and pencil, telephone interviews, web-based surveys and electronic data collection.

The PRO MG is convened jointly by Donald Patrick (University of Washington, Seattle, USA) and Gordon Guyatt (McMaster University, Canada).

If you wish to join our Methods Group, please complete the Membership form on this website. We thank Mapi Research Trust for providing funds to support our activities and to set up our web site.

Site designed by Priya Duc. Last update: July 29th 2010.