A Rapid Review is a streamlined version of a systematic review designed to provide timely evidence for decision-making. It follows the key principles of a systematic review but employs methods that simplify or expedite the process. By speeding up the planning, execution, or sharing of results, rapid reviews aim to deliver actionable insights in a shorter time frame—often in under five weeks—making them a valuable tool in urgent or emerging situations. This process follows predefined boundaries, such as limiting searches to articles published within a certain period, and is typically conducted by a multidisciplinary team skilled in systematic review methods.

The Updated recommendations for the Cochrane rapid review methods guidance for rapid reviews of effectiveness defines a Rapid Review as
"a type of evidence synthesis that brings together and summarises information from different research studies to produce evidence for people such as the public, healthcare providers, researchers, policy makers, and funders in a systematic, resource efficient manner. This is done by speeding up the ways we plan, do, and/or share the results of conventional structured (systematic) reviews, by simplifying or omitting a variety of methods that should be clearly defined by the authors”

This efficiency allows rapid reviews to produce reliable evidence for healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, and the public in less time than traditional systematic reviews.

Rapid reviews are particularly useful in: 

• Responding to new and emerging issues 
• Updating previously completed reviews 
• Supporting policy development or evaluation 

Rapid reviews may also be known as:

Excerpt from Rapid Review Guide by James Cook University Library (March 2025)

Step 1: Needs assessment, topic selection, and topic refinement

Step 2: Develop a Review Protocol

Step 3: Set Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria Define Parameters

Step 4: Search the Literature

Step 5: Screen and Select Studies

Step 6: Data Extraction

Step 7: Assess Quality of Studies Risk of Bias Assessment

Step 8: Summarise and Synthesise Evidence

Step 9: Write the Review