About the Systematic Review Initiative (SRI)

The Systematic Review Initiative (SRI) is a clinical research group established by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) in 2001 and funded through the four UK Blood Services. It is based within NHSBT's Oxford Blood Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital and has developed links with both the hospital and the University of Oxford.

The primary objective of the SRI is to “develop the evidence base for the practice of transfusion medicine”. So far, we have completed 18 systematic reviews in the transfusion field and have undertaken several other evidence-based medicine projects, including overviews of the use of fresh frozen plasma and red blood cells. (Please see 'SRI Output' for details and full-text links). Projects in progress include systematic reviews of the use of red cells in hip fracture and trauma, and an overview of observational studies of the use of red cells.

Another core activity of the SRI is the prospective and retrospective (1980 onwards) handsearching of the major transfusion medicine journals and conference proceedings in order to identify systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials relevant to transfusion medicine. Monthly electronic searches of the major medical databases for systematic reviews are also undertaken, and appraised reviews from all searches are entered into the UKBTS SRI Transfusion Evidence Library (launched September 2009). Randomised trials are submitted annually to CENTRAL, the Cochrane Database of Controlled Trials. 

The SRI is staffed by three transfusion medicine/haematology clinicians, an information specialist and a clinical researcher with expertise in the methodology of systematic reviews and evidence-based medicine. It is supported by an independent steering committee consisting of  representatives from relevant professional bodies and receives further input from clinical experts from both the UK and North America. A primary role of the steering committee is to identify topics and priorities for new systematic reviews.