Globally, decision-makers are increasingly seeking timely evidence to inform their decisions. Often, the evidence is needed in less than a week to meet a “window of opportunity”. There is global enthusiasm and commitment that a step-change is needed to make evidence synthesis faster, cheaper and more useful, endorsed as part of the Cape Town Charter of the Evidence Synthesis Infrastructure Collaborative.
Numerous rapid reviews are conducted globally; often on similar questions, with contextualization to a local setting. Many methods have been developed to produce a “quick and clean enough” synthesis to support decision-making (e.g. Lavis 2008, Tricco 2015). Imagine a world where all rapid reviews could start by querying an open-access database of living evidence synthesis, then adding information about the local setting and context to support application to specific decisions around the world.
Campbell endorses the SHOW-ME principles to harmonize global efforts, reduce waste, improve efficiencies and promote equity in evidence synthesis. According to the Global Commission on Evidence to address societal challenges in 2022, we need more and better evidence synthesis to inform global societal challenges such as the sustainable development goals.
Can we find efficiencies by scaling rapid reviews to living evidence syntheses? What is needed to support this conversion? Steps may involve adding methodological rigour such as more comprehensive searches, critical appraisal, meta-analysis or additional contextual details. It may also include processes or approaches to catalyze sustained relationships with evidence users to leverage funding to support living evidence synthesis. Living evidence syntheses may benefit from approaches to provide credit to multiple authors who contribute at different times. Artificial intelligence may be used to support steps in the synthesis. Processes such as living and continuously updated protocols, open access repositories for data and analyses and other processes may be required. Innovations in editorial and publishing processes may be needed to support faster production. It is also possible that a rapid review may identify that progressing to a full systematic review would not be worth the money or effort (thus avoiding empty reviews where they are not valuable).
Can you help Campbell develop standards for rapid reviews as a stepping stone to living evidence synthesis?
We are inviting methods papers describing methodological lessons learned from leading rapid reviews to inform policy, with a focus on what can be learned about processes to support scaling up rapid reviews to living evidence synthesis.
Timelines:
Dec 1, 2025: Submission of letter of intent (LOI): 1 page with outline of proposed paper, free format with description of how lessons learned can inform the process of rapid to living evidence synthesis.
->Submit your LOI to journal@campbellcollaboration.org
Dec 4, 2025: Decision from editor and any feedback for the paper
Feb 2, 2026: Submission of full paper, 3000 words, free format, with lessons learned section
Feb 16, 2026: Editorial decision and referee feedback
Mar 27, 2026: Publication as special series in Campbell Systematic Reviews