DefinePK

Abstract

The PRISMA 2020 statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) represents a major revision of the earlier 2009 guideline, with the explicit goal of strengthening completeness, transparency, and consistency in the reporting of systematic reviews. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have become indispensable in modern health sciences, enabling researchers and policymakers to synthesize large volumes of primary studies into clear, evidence-based conclusions. They underpin clinical guidelines, inform health policy, and guide future research. Yet their value depends on the clarity, completeness, and transparency of their reporting. Historically, many published reviews have suffered from incomplete or ambiguous descriptions of search strategies, inclusion criteria, study selection processes, and synthesis methods. Such omissions make it difficult for readers to appraise the review’s credibility, replicate its findings, or update it in light of new evidence. Recognizing these shortcomings, the scientific community has developed structured reporting guidelines—most notably the PRISMA statement, first introduced in 2009 (1-3).
In March 2021, PRISMA was updated to PRISMA 2020, incorporating advances in methodology, technology, and terminology that have emerged over the past decade. This editorial outlines the rationale, core components, and implications of PRISMA 2020, and formally endorses its adoption for systematic review and meta-analysis submissions to our journal, the International Journal of Pharmacy and Integrated Health Sciences (IJPIHS). The release of PRISMA 2020 also marks a moment of transition within the field. At the same time, the revision highlights the emergence of a new generation of international leaders who now take up the responsibility of advancing and refining the standards for systematic review reporting (4,5).