Scandinavian GRADE Network aims to advance the use of GRADE for evidence-informed decision making for policy and practice in the Scandinavian countries, i.e. Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The Network will build on the extensive research and training experience of individuals within the Network to coordinate and maximize GRADE training, research and guideline activities in Scandinavia.
The Network aims to bring together contributors to GRADE within Scandinavia, to then jointly agree on the priorities and strategies for advancing GRADE activities. The proposed GRADE network will be well placed to contribute to capacity-building and enhanced use of GRADE methodology within Scandinavia. We would aim to link with and support researchers, policymakers and methodologists in use of and training in GRADE for systematic reviews and guidelines.
More information on the GRADE Working Group and on project groups within GRADE can be found here
Hosting institutions
The Danish Health Authority is responsible for advising and supporting the general population, the Ministry of Health, the regions and the municipalities on health issues, and for ensuring the best possible quality of healthcare and elderly care across the country. Our mission is health for all. We have been using GRADE to develop guidelines since 2013.
Cochrane Denmark is a research centre that is closely affiliated with Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Odense and hosted at the University of Southern Denmark. We also host the Cochrane Bias Methods group. At Cochrane Denmark, we aim to support the efforts of synthesizing and providing the best available evidence for health professionals, researchers, health decision-makers, media and the public.
Cochrane Sweden is part of Cochrane, a network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health. Cochrane is a non-profit organisation that prepares and disseminates information (in the form of reviews) on what works and what doesn’t in health care. These reviews enable policy makers, health service providers and the public to make informed decisions about health care. Cochrane Sweden is based at Skåne University Hospital, Lund.
Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (SBU) is an independent national authority, tasked by the government with assessing health care and social service interventions from a broad perspective, covering medical, economic, ethical and social aspects. SBU is publicly funded and produces health technology assessments, as well as systematic reviews for guideline development in Sweden. SBU has been using GRADE and been actively involved in the GRADE Working Group for over a decade.
HTA Region Stockholm is a regional center for health technology assessments (HTA). We support an evidence-based healthcare in the Stockholm Region as well as nationally, by assessing new or questioned interventions. The center is based at Karolinska Institutet and has a strong research link. HTA Region Stockholm uses and teaches GRADE and has an active involvement in the GRADE Working Group.
Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) is one of the largest educational institutions in Norway. Every year around 4500 candidates graduate from HVL and contribute to important societal missions, including in the fields of health and social services, engineering and teaching. Through education, research and development we create new knowledge and expertise, anchored internationally and with solutions that work locally.
Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) is a national competence institution for public health and healthcare services under the Ministry of Health and Care Services. Staff at NIPH have been closely involved in GRADE activities for a number of years. These include the development of the interactive Evidence-to-Decision frameworks (iEtD); the GRADE-CERQual approach; and the GRADE narrative statements.
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet (NTNU)) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life. NTNU’s Department of Health Sciences in Ålesund, part of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, has research areas focusing on health service research, clinical nursing, and education. The Department has a strong interest in collaboration and knowledge transfer between academic institutions and health services and on innovation in partnership with health services.
Current Care Guidelines, a unit in the Finnish Medical Society Duodecim (https://www.kaypahoito.fi/en/), produces national, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in support of health care decision making and for the benefit of the patient. These national guidelines cover important issues related to Finnish health, medical treatment as well as prevention of diseases. The Current Care Guidelines are publicly funded. The Finnish Medical Society Duodecim in scientific association with medical specialist associations. Duodecim has adapted GRADE methodology for decades, more rigorously since 2023.