Inclusion of a search filter on this site is not an endorsement of its validity or a recommendation for its use by the editors of this site, by the InterTASC Information Specialists SubGroup or by the (UK) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). For suggestions on the appraisal of filters see the ISSG Search Filter Appraisal Checklist.
This page shows publications that have reviewed search filter performance and individual search filters.
Please note that other filter sites/filter collections may have relevant filters for this topic.
Golder S, McIntosh HM, Duffy S, Glanville J, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, UK Cochrane Centre Search Filters Design Group. Developing efficient search strategies to identify reports of adverse effects in MEDLINE and EMBASE. Health Info Libr J. 2006;23(1):3-12.
Golder S. Search strategies to identify information on adverse effects: a systematic review. J Med Libr Assoc. 2009; 97(2): 84-92.
Database indexing changes over time and new vocabulary may be introduced. With older filters, please check the subject indexing to ensure that the subject indexing is still current and, if not, consider whether new vocabulary may need to be added to the filter. Please note that if filters are amended, the performance may change from that published in the original articles and the filter should be reported as amended from the original filter.
Golder S, McIntosh HM, Loke Y. Identifying systematic reviews of the adverse effects of health care interventions . BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2006;6:22.
NOTE: this paper was presented earlier: Golder S, McIntosh H, Glanville J. Searching for systematic reviews of adverse effects [abstract]. XIII Cochrane Colloquium; 2005 Oct 22-26; Melbourne, Australia: 61.
Golder S, McIntosh HM, Loke Y. Identifying systematic reviews of the adverse effects of health care interventions . BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2006;6:22.
NOTE: this paper was presented earlier: Golder S, McIntosh H, Glanville J. Searching for systematic reviews of adverse effects [abstract]. XIII Cochrane Colloquium; 2005 Oct 22-26; Melbourne, Australia: 61.
Canada's Drug Agency. Adverse events filter [Ovid]. Last updated 21 September 2022
Golder S, Farrah K, Mierzwinski-Urban M, Barker B & Rama A. Updated generic search filters for finding studies of adverse drug effects in Ovid MEDLINE and Embase may retrieve up to 90% of relevant studies. Health Info Libr J. 2023: 40(2): 190-200. [Ovid]
Launch filter for Ovid (subscribers only)
Golder S, Farrah K, Mierzwinski-Urban M, Wright K, Loke YK. The development of search filters for adverse effects of medical devices in medline and embase. Health Info Libr J. 2019;36(3):244-263.
Golder S, Wright K & Loke YK. The development of search filters for adverse effects of surgical interventions in Medline and Embase. Health Info Libr J. 2018;35 (2):121-129 [Ovid]
Launch filter for Ovid (subscribers only)
Golder S, Wright K, Loke YK. The feasibility of a search filter for the adverse effects of nondrug interventions in MEDLINE and Embase. Res Synth Methods. 2017;8(4):506-513.Epub 2017 Oct 11.
Farrah K, Mierzwinski-Urban M, Cimon K. Effectiveness of adverse effects search filters: drugs versus medical devices. J Med Libr Assoc. 2016;104(3):221-225
Golder S, Loke YK. Sensitivity and precision of adverse effects search filters in MEDLINE and EMBASE: a case study of fractures with thiazolidinediones. Health Info Libr J. 2012;29(1):28-38
Golder S, Loke YK. Failure or success of electronic search strategies to identify adverse effects data. J Med Libr Assoc. 2012;100(2):130-134. [Ovid Embase]
Golder S, McIntosh HM, Duffy S, Glanville J, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, UK Cochrane Centre Search Filters Design Group. Developing efficient search strategies to identify reports of adverse effects in MEDLINE and EMBASE. Health Info Libr J. 2006;23(1):3-12.
Search filter appraisal in Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2006;1(3):60-2.
Derry S, Loke YK, Aronson JK. Incomplete evidence: the inadeqacy of databases in tracing published adverse drug reactions in clinical trials. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2001;1(7).
Loke YK, Edwards J, Derry S. Conventional search strategies cannot easily identify those trials of drug therapy which provide quantitative adverse effects data [poster]. 7th Cochrane Colloquium; 1999 October; Rome, Italy.
BMJ Clinical Evidence strategy [undated] [Ovid]
Launch filter for Ovid (subscribers only)
OVID Adverse effects search filter. Both broad and focussed [undated]
OVID pharmacovigilance search filter [undated]
Canada's Drug Agency. Adverse events filter [Ovid]. Last updated 21 September 2022
Golder S, Farrah K, Mierzwinski-Urban M, Barker B & Rama A. Updated generic search filters for finding studies of adverse drug effects in Ovid MEDLINE and Embase may retrieve up to 90% of relevant studies. Health Info Libr J. 2023: 40(2): 190-200. [Ovid]
Launch filter for Ovid (subscribers only)
Golder S, Farrah K, Mierzwinski-Urban M, Wright K, Loke YK. The development of search filters for adverse effects of medical devices in MEDLINE and Embase. Health Info Libr J. 2019;36(3):244-263.
FMD(3S)/CHLA Side effects search filter [2018] [Filters available for MEDLINE via EBSCO, OVID]
Launch filter for Ovid (subscribers only)
Golder S, Wright K, Loke YK. The development of search filters for adverse effects of surgical interventions in MEDLINE and Embase. Health Info Libr J. 2018;35 (2):121-129
Launch filter for Ovid (subscribers only)
Golder S, Wright K, Loke YK. The feasibility of a search filter for the adverse effects of nondrug interventions in MEDLINE and Embase. Res Synth Methods. 2017;8(4):506-513.
Farrah K, Mierzwinski-Urban M, Cimon K. Effectiveness of adverse effects search filters: drugs versus medical devices. J Med Libr Assoc. 2016;104(3):221-225
Avillach P, Dufour JC, Diallo G, Salvo F, Joubert M, Thiessard F, Mougin F, Trifirò G, Fourrier-Réglat A, Pariente A, Fieschi M. Design and validation of an automated method to detect known adverse drug reactions in MEDLINE: a contribution from the EU-ADR project. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2012;20(3):446-52.
Golder S, Loke YK. Sensitivity and precision of adverse effects search filters in MEDLINE and EMBASE: a case study of fractures with thiazolidinediones. Health Info Libr J.2012;29(1):28-38
Golder S, Loke YK. Failure or success of electronic search strategies to identify adverse effects data. J Med Libr Assoc. 2012;100(2):130-134. [Ovid MEDLINE]
Golder S, Loke YK. The performance of adverse effects search filters in MEDLINE and EMBASE. Health Info Libr J. 2012 ;29(2):141-51.
Search filter appraisal published in Evid Based Libr Inf Pract. 2006;1(3):60-2.
NOTE: This paper was also presented at 12th Cochrane Colloquium: Bridging the Gaps; 2004 Oct 2-6; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Wieland S, Dickersin K. Selective exposure reporting and Medline indexing limited the search sensitivity for observational studies of the adverse effects of oral contraceptives. J Clin Epidemiol. 2005;58(6):560-7.
Derry S, Loke YK, Aronson JK. Incomplete evidence: the inadeqacy of databases in tracing published adverse drug reactons in clinical trials. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2001;1(7).
Loke YK, Edwards J, Derry S. Conventional search strategies cannot easily identify those trials of drug therapy which provide quantittative adverse effects data [poster]. 7th Cochrane Colloquium; 1999 October; Rome, Italy.
BMJ Clinical Evidence strategy [undated] [Ovid]
Launch filter for Ovid (subscribers only)
OVID Adverse effects search filter. Both broad and focussed [undated]
OVID pharmacovigilance search filter [undated]
Golder S, Loke YK. Failure or success of electronic search strategies to identify adverse effects data. J Med Libr Assoc. 2012;100(2):130-134. [Ovid MEDLINE]
Golder S, Glanville J, McIntosh H, Miles J, Duffy S. Designing a search filter to identify papers reporting adverse events [abstract]. Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi); 2004 May 30 - June 2; Krakow, Poland.
Golder S, McIntosh H, Glanville J. Developing optimal search strategies to identify papers on adverse events [abstract]. Proceedings of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi); 2004 May 30 - June 2; Krakow, Poland.