A core strategy of the development of UKPMC has been to help users access, (through a single search interface), a range of relevant information, in addition to peer-reviewed journal articles, that could prove useful in their research.  Since the launch of the new service in June 2010, we have provided links to an increasing number of PhD theses and clinical guidelines, as well as a range of research reports.

The latest enhancement is the inclusion of links to databases maintained by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD), part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

The CRD provides research-based information about the effects of health and social care interventions via its databases and undertakes systematic reviews evaluating the research evidence on health and public health questions of national and international importance.

The CRD databases, updated daily, provide access to:

• Over 9,000 quality assessed systematic reviews

• Over 11,000 economic evaluations

• Over 10,000 summaries of completed and ongoing health technology assessments

• Summaries of all Cochrane reviews and protocols

• Summaries of Campbell reviews

Links are now provided from articles in UKPMC to the corresponding record in a CRD database.  The example here provides a link from the UKPMC abstract through to the corresponding  record in the DARE  (Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects) database where the reader is informed that “apart from a relatively limited search, this was well-conducted and clearly-reported review, and the authors’ conclusions are likely to be reliable.”

Currently, there are 11,658 links from UKPMC articles to DARE abstracts and 9,218 links from UKPMC articles to NHS EED (Economic Evaluation Database) abstracts.