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Original articles: R Hasenfeld and P G Shekelle Is the methodological quality of guidelines declining in the US? Comparison of the quality of US Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) guidelines with those published subsequently Qual Saf Health Care 2003; 12: 428-434 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Initiatives for promoting the quality of guidelines: The Electronic G-I-N Guideline Library

Guenter Ollenschlaeger, Catherine Marshall, Najoua Mlika-Cabanne, Safia Qureshi, Kitty Rosenbrand, Jean Slutsky   (22 January 2004)

Initiatives for promoting the quality of guidelines: The Electronic G-I-N Guideline Library 22 January 2004
Guenter Ollenschlaeger, Chairman Guidelines International Network, Catherine Marshall, Najoua Mlika-Cabanne, Safia Qureshi, Kitty Rosenbrand, Jean Slutsky Send letter to journal: Re: Initiatives for promoting the quality of guidelines: The Electronic G-I-N Guideline Library ollenschlaeger{at}azq.de Guenter Ollenschlaeger, et al.	Dear Editor We fully agree with Hasenfeld and Shekelle that many published guidelines fall short of the internationally consented quality criteria for their production and use, although the principles for the development of sound evidence–based guidelines are well established. In response several national and international initiatives have been working on programmes for the promotion of quality in guideline development.[1-3] In order to promote sustainable international partnerships in the field of guideline development, use and research activities, a network of non-for- profit organisations dealing with development, implementation and evaluation of EBGs was founded in November 2002, called Guidelines International Network (G-I-N). To date 46 institutions from 24 European, American, Asian and Oceanian countries including WHO have become members of the network. In November 2003, G-I-N's released the first international Electronic Guideline Library (http://www.g-i-n.net) giving access to nearly 1400 guidelines and related resources with special focus on the methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines. This initiative is meant as a contribution to the improvement of guidelines' quality and to dissemination of best available practice guidelines worldwide. References 1) Burgers JS, Grol R, Klazinga NS, Mäkelä M, Zaat J, for the AGREE Collaboration. Towards evidence-based clinical practice: an international survey of 18 clinical guideline programs. Int J Qual Health Care 2003; 15: 31-45. 2) Council of Europe. Developing a methodology for drawing up guidelines on best medical practice. Recommendation Rec(2001)13 and explanatory memorandum. Strasbourg, Council of Europe Publishing 2002. 3) The AGREE Collaboration. Development and validation of an international appraisal instrument for assessing the quality of clinical practice guidelines: the AGREE project. Qual Saf Health Care 2003;12:18–23