Objectives:
Participants will learn about concurrent developments with living systematic reviews (LSRs) and living guidelines, and how the two can be integrated within the context of the new evidence ecosystem.

Description:
The idea that evidence synthesis and related products, such as guidelines, can be ‘living’, by incorporating the latest available evidence at all times, is increasingly becoming a reality. With technological advances, such as online platforms, structured data and automation allowing for streamlined incorporation of new data, new innovations for LSRs and living guidelines are increasingly being developed and integrated. Concurrently, systematic review and guideline producers are exploring new production models to manage the resource implications of keeping content up to date. A truly integrated living evidence model, where evidence from LSRs feeds directly into living recommendations that are made available to end-users at point of care, has the potential to substantially shorten the time from evidence production to benefit for patients. In an integrated, living evidence model, there is potential for resource allocation by reducing duplication and reducing manual labour for evidence and guideline producers through technology.

The Special Session will include a series of brief presentations, followed by a panel discussion.

Presentations will include:

• Introduction to living systematic reviews (Julian Elliott and Anneliese Synnot)
• Introduction to living guidelines and recommendations (Per Vandvik)
• Case studies of pilot work under way in which LSRs are being integrated with living guidelines (Elie Akl and Jeremy Grimshaw)
• Publishing models for living systematic reviews and living guidelines (Harriet Maclehose and Rebecca Lawrence)
• Panel: Making living guidelines a reality: Technology, processes and people and dissemination (All speakers, plus Chris Mavergames, and Pablo Alonso Coello)

Participants should come armed with curiosity and questions, but no resources or specialist knowledge about living evidence is required. An intermediate understanding of standard systematic review and guideline processes will be assumed.