There are no standard methods for refereeing systematic reviews. However, several general principles merit mention.
- Peer review can be useful for several stages of the review process: question formulation, protocol development, completion of the review and updating
- Peer review should include multiple referees or editors with both methodological and topical expertise, and with differing viewpoints. Some of the referees should be external to the Group from which the review originates. Referees should include people without direct financial, intellectual or personal conflicts of interest concerning the topic being addressed. Statements regarding conflict of interest are required in Cochrane reviews and in some cases from referees
- Explicit standardised methods and checklists aimed at ensuring comprehensiveness and limiting bias should be encouraged among peer reviewers
- Peer review should be constructive, courteous and timely.
Differences among referees' critiques should be elucidated and reconciled whenever possible. Potential mechanisms to use for reconciliation of different critiques are arbitration by one or more of the editors or use of an additional independent referee.