The Cochrane Collaboration is an international non-profit and independent organisation, dedicated to making up-to-date, accurate information about the effects of health care readily available worldwide. The Collaboration is supported by hundreds of organisations from around the world, including health service providers, research funding agencies, departments of health, international organisations and universities. It is a major focus of activity, and a rich source of information within the evidence-based medicine (EBM) movement. The main goal of Cochrane Anaesthesia Review Group (CARG) is to conduct systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials and other controlled clinical trials of interventions. The CARG maintains a register of more than 25000 randomised controlled trials and clinical controlled trials related to anaesthesia, perioperative medicine, intensive care medicine, pre-hospital medicine, resuscitation and emergency medicine. The necessity of The Cochrane Collaboration and EBM has become widely recognised by health professionals and lay people alike.