This problem is addressed in PRISMA 2020, AMSTAR 2, ROBIS and MECIR. Often, risk of bias assessments are undertaken in systematic reviews but in a perfunctory or invalid way.
Articles that support this problem:
Risk of bias assessments and reporting quality of systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials examining acupuncture for depression: An overview and meta‐epidemiology study
2020 : Journal of evidence‐based medicine
Association between risk-of-bias assessments and results of randomized trials in Cochrane reviews: the ROBES meta-epidemiologic study
2018 : American journal of epidemiology
Quality of reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of surgical randomized clinical trials
2020 : Bjs open
Journal impact factor is associated with PRISMA endorsement, but not with the methodological quality of low back pain systematic reviews: a methodological review
2020 : European spine journal
Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews Relating to Performance of All-Ceramic Implant Abutments, Frameworks, and Restorations
2021 : Journal of prosthodontics
Disagreements in risk of bias assessment for randomised controlled trials included in more than one Cochrane systematic reviews: a research on research study using cross-sectional design
2019 : Bmj open
Variable methodological quality and use found in systematic reviews referenced in STEMI clinical practice guidelines
2017 : The american journal of emergency medicine
The methodological quality of systematic reviews on the treatment of adult major depression needs improvement according to AMSTAR 2: A cross-sectional study
2020 : Heliyon
Risk of bias in Cochrane systematic reviews: assessments of risk related to attrition bias are highly inconsistent
2018 : Biorxiv
Methodological quality, completeness of reporting and use of systematic reviews as evidence in clinical practice guidelines for paediatric overweight and obesity
2017 : Clinical obesity
Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews of Non-Randomized Studies of Adverse Cardiovascular Effects of Thiazolidinediones and Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors: Application of a New Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool
2016 : Plos medicine
Quality assessment of systematic reviews regarding the effectiveness of zygomatic implants: an overview of systematic reviews
2020 : Medicina oral, patologia oral y cirugia bucal
Identifying the ‘incredible’! Part 2: Spot the difference-a rigorous risk of bias assessment can alter the main findings of a systematic review
2019 : British journal of sports medicine
Quality of Systematic Reviews of the Foods with Function Claims in Japan: Comparative Before- and After-Evaluation of Verification Reports by the Consumer Affairs Agency
2019 : Nutrients
There were large discrepancies in risk of bias tool judgments when a randomized controlled trial appeared in more than one systematic review
2017 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Cochrane risk of bias tool was used inadequately in the majority of non-Cochrane systematic reviews
2020 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Risk of bias assessments for selective reporting were inadequate in the majority of Cochrane reviews
2019 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
In Cochrane reviews, risk of bias assessments for allocation concealment were frequently not in line with Cochrane's Handbook guidance
2019 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Overall bias methods and their use in sensitivity analysis of Cochrane reviews were not consistent
2019 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Risk of bias assessments for blinding of participants and personnel in Cochrane reviews were frequently inadequate
2019 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Inter-review agreement of risk-of-bias judgments varied in Cochrane reviews
2020 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Appraisal of systematic reviews on the management of peri-implant diseases with two methodological tools
2018 : Journal of clinical periodontology
Assessments of attrition bias in Cochrane systematic reviews are highly inconsistent and thus hindering trial comparability
2019 : Bmc medical research methodology
Risk of bias judgments for random sequence generation in Cochrane systematic reviews were frequently not in line with Cochrane Handbook
2019 : Bmc medical research methodology
The judgement of biases included in the category “other bias” in Cochrane systematic reviews of interventions: a systematic survey
2019 : Bmc medical research methodology
Methodological quality of systematic reviews on interventions for osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional study
2020 : Therapeutic advances in musculoskeletal disease
Methodological and reporting quality evaluation of systematic reviews on acupuncture in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: A systematic review
2018 : Complementary therapies in clinical practice
Evaluation of the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized clinical trials: overview of published comments and analysis of user practice in Cochrane and non-Cochrane reviews
2016 : Systematic reviews
Rethinking the assessment of risk of bias due to selective reporting: a cross-sectional study
2016 : Systematic reviews
Methodological quality and risk-of-bias assessments in systematic reviews of treatments for peri-implantitis
2019 : Journal of periodontal research
Methodological quality and redundancy of systematic reviews that compare endarterectomy versus stenting for carotid stenosis
2019 : Bmj evidence-based medicine
Risk of bias assessment of sequence generation: a study of 100 systematic reviews of trials
2019 : Systematic reviews
Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of primary hypertension: a methodology overview of systematic reviews
2016 : Systematic reviews
The quality check of a systematic review on the quality of randomized controlled trials from Saudi Arabia
2019 : Contemporary clinical trials communications
Assessing risk of bias judgments for blinding of outcome assessors in Cochrane reviews
2020 : Journal of comparative effectiveness research
External factors may influence Cochrane reviewers when classifying therisk of bias of original reports
2020 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Lessons learnt on transparency, scientific process and publication ethics. The short story of a long journey to get into the public domain unpublished data, methodological flaws and bias of the Cochrane HPV vaccines review
2019 : Bmj evidence-based medicine
Cluster Randomised Trials in Cochrane Reviews: Evaluation of Methodological and Reporting Practice
2016 : Plos one
Quality Assessment Errors and Study Misclassification Threaten Systematic Review Validity: Community Opioid Overdose Prevention and Naloxone Distribution Programs Review
2015 : Journal of addiction medicine
Not all systematic reviews are created equal
2018 : Canadian journal of occupational therapy
The method quality of cross-over studies involved in Cochrane Systematic Reviews
2015 : Plos one
The Cochrane HPV vaccine review was incomplete and ignored important evidence of bias
2018 : Bmj evidence-based medicine
Opposing systematic reviews: the effects of two quality rating instruments on evidence regarding t'ai chi and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women
2011 : Journal of alternative & complementary medicine
Trust, but verify. The errors and misinterpretations in the Cochrane analysis by O. J. Storebo and colleagues on the efficacy and safety of methylphenidate for the treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD
2016 : Zeitschrift fur kinder-und jugendpsychiatrie und psychotherapie
Impact of quality scales on levels of evidence inferred from a systematic review of exercise therapy and low back pain
2002 : Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
Compliance of systematic reviews in plastic surgery with the PRISMA statement
2016 : Jama facial plastic surgery
Extent and quality of systematic review evidence related to minimum intervention in dentistry: essential oils, powered toothbrushes, triclosan, xylitol
2011 : International dental journal
How do systematic reviews incorporate risk of bias assessments into the synthesis of evidence? A methodological study
2015 : J epidemiol community health
Reporting, handling and assessing the risk of bias associated with missing participant data in systematic reviews: a methodological survey
2015 : Bmj open
A descriptive analysis of child-relevant systematic reviews in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
2010 : Bmc pediatrics
Cochrane vertebroplasty review misrepresented evidence for vertebroplasty with early intervention in severely affected patients
2020 : Bmj evidence-based medicine
Systematic reviews of low back pain prognosis had variable methods and results: guidance for future prognosis reviews
2009 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Inclusion of nonrandomized studies in Cochrane systematic reviews was found to be in need of improvement
2014 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Adequacy of risk of bias assessment in surgical vs non-surgical trials in Cochrane reviews: a methodological study
2020 : Bmc medical research methodology
Cochrane's risk of bias tool for non-randomized studies (ROBINS-I) is frequently misapplied: A methodological systematic review
2021 : Journal of clinical epidemiology
Caution should be exercised when assessing ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 in systematic reviews
2022 : Reviews in medical virology
The Campbell Collaboration's systematic review of school-based anti-bullying interventions does not meet mandatory methodological standards
2022 : Systematic reviews
Letter to the Editor concerning "the influence of cognitive behavioral therapy on lumbar spine surgery outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis" by Parish JM, et al. (Eur Spine J [2021]; 30(5):1365-1379)
2022 : European spine journal
Systematic Review on Electronic Health Interventions for Patients With Breast Cancer: Revisiting the Methodology
2023 : Journal of clinical oncology
Most Cochrane systematic reviews and protocols did not adhere to the Cochrane's risk of bias 2.0 tool
2023 : Revista da associacao medica brasileira
Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: an umbrella review
2023 : Clinical rheumatology
Comment on 'Comparative efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions on sleep quality in old adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis'
2024 : Journal of clinical nursing