Network-based Meta-analysis — Comparing Multiple Treatments Simultaneously

Network-based Meta-analysis (NMA) extends conventional pairwise meta-analysis by simultaneously synthesizing evidence across a network of two or more competing treatments, including pairs that have never been compared head-to-head in a single trial. By combining direct and indirect evidence within a coherent statistical model, NMA produces relative effect estimates for all treatment pairs and generates a probabilistic ranking of which treatment performs best on the outcome of interest.