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Call for papers - Evidence synthesis: from current practice to future advances

Guest Editors

Chang Xu, PhD, Proof of Concept Center, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Third Affiliated Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Naval Medical University, China

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 13 August 2025

BMC Medical Research Methodology is calling for submissions to our Collection on Evidence synthesis.

This Collection invites researchers to contribute to the evolving field of evidence synthesis, focusing on current practices and future advances. We welcome submissions that explore innovative methodologies, address challenges such as data extraction errors and research waste, and enhance the replicability and reproducibility of systematic reviews. By fostering a deeper understanding of evidence synthesis, we aim to improve the quality and impact of medical research.


New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being.

Meet the Guest Editor

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Chang Xu, PhD, Proof of Concept Center, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Third Affiliated Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Naval Medical University, China

Professor Chang Xu is a senior methodologist in evidence synthesis, with his whole energy engaged in advanced and innovative methods to promoting trustworthy evidence synthesis practice. This includes methods for evidence synthesis of adverse effects, methods for rapid evidence synthesis, and methods for improving the replicability and transparency for evidence ecosystem. His representative contributions were the development of a framework for evidence synthesis of zero-events, the development of Hi-Bi method to measure the impact of double-zero studies on the pooled effects, and the development of classification method for data extraction error.

About the Collection

BMC Medical Research Methodology is calling for submissions to our Collection on Evidence synthesis.

Evidence synthesis is a critical component of medical research methodology, encompassing various approaches such as systematic reviews, rapid reviews, scoping reviews, and meta-analyses, as well as higher-level evidence synthesis such as various types of reviews of reviews. These methods are essential for integrating findings from multiple studies, thereby providing a comprehensive understanding of existing evidence. However, the field faces challenges, including data extraction errors, labor-intensive processes, and concerns about research waste. As the demand for high-quality evidence synthesis continues to grow, it is imperative to explore innovative methodologies that can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of these processes.

Advancing our collective understanding of evidence synthesis is essential for improving its quality and reliability. Recent advances have included the development of automated tools for data extraction and the establishment of updated guidelines to enhance replicability and reproducibility in systematic reviews. These innovations streamline the synthesis process but also help mitigate issues allowing for more robust methodologies adapting to the evolving landscape of medical research.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Image credit: © MarkFinal / Stock.adobe.ocm

  1. Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT showed great potential in aiding medical research. A heavy workload in filtering records is needed during the research process of evidence-based medicine, especially m...

    Authors: Xiangming Cai, Yuanming Geng, Yiming Du, Bart Westerman, Duolao Wang, Chiyuan Ma and Juan J. Garcia Vallejo
    Citation: BMC Medical Research Methodology 2025 25:116
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. The use of Expert Opinion (EO) in clinical guidelines is highly variable and lacks standardization, leading to ongoing controversy. A clear and universally accepted definition of EO is also lacking. To date, n...

    Authors: Blin Nagavci, Zsófia Gáspár and Botond Lakatos
    Citation: BMC Medical Research Methodology 2025 25:87
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. The goal of evidence-based medicine is to make clinical decisions based on the best available, relevant evidence. For this to be possible, studies such as randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which are widely ...

    Authors: Manuel Hecht, Anette Blümle, Harald Binder, Martin Schumacher and Nadine Binder
    Citation: BMC Medical Research Methodology 2025 25:80
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research, Database, and Software Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Evidence synthesis: from current practice to future advances" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.