Evidence-appraisal glossary
Network meta-analysis
Network meta-analysis compares three or more treatments at once by combining direct evidence from head-to-head trials with indirect evidence, where treatments are linked through a shared comparator. It can estimate and rank options even when some pairs were never tested against each other.
Also called: mixed treatment comparison, multiple treatments meta-analysis, NMA.
A common comparator such as placebo lets treatments that were never trialed directly be compared through the network. Its validity rests on the transitivity and consistency assumptions, meaning the trials must be similar enough to borrow strength across them; indirect estimates are weaker than direct ones, and treatment rankings can look far more certain than the underlying data actually support.
This is a plain-language methodology definition for reading research. It is general education, not medical advice.