Table 2 Open in new tab Types of...

Clinical practice guidelines

Expert consensus statements

Clinical statements/white papers

Definition

Evidence-based documents containing systematically developed recommendations with an explicit clinical scope and explicit consideration of benefits, harms, values, and preferences.

Expert position on a controversial or specific clinical topic, formulated as a statement of facts based on available evidence and expert consensus in situations where high-level evidence is unavailable.

Extensive reports outlining positions on critical clinical issues while highlighting areas of ongoing uncertainty or concern for patient safety.

Source of evidence

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are available and serve as the primary source of information; observational data are used if considered robust.

Robust observational data are available and serve as the primary source of information in conjunction with a limited number of RCTs.

Any research and health care regulations

Number of writing committee members

Up to 20

Up to 10

Review

Following the writing committee's established composition principles, a lead reviewer and up to 5 anonymous reviewers from each participating entity in collaboration with the governing bodies

Following the writing committee's established composition principles, up to 3 anonymous reviewers from each participating entity

Length

Up to 30,000 words and a total of 500 references

Up to 15,000 words and a total of 300 references

Up to 5000 words and a total of 50 references

Time frame

24 months

12 months

6 months

Table 2

Open in new tab

Types of clinical practice documents

	Clinical practice guidelines	Expert consensus statements	Clinical statements/white papers
Definition	Evidence-based documents containing systematically developed recommendations with an explicit clinical scope and explicit consideration of benefits, harms, values, and preferences.	Expert position on a controversial or specific clinical topic, formulated as a statement of facts based on available evidence and expert consensus in situations where high-level evidence is unavailable.	Extensive reports outlining positions on critical clinical issues while highlighting areas of ongoing uncertainty or concern for patient safety.
Source of evidence	Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are available and serve as the primary source of information; observational data are used if considered robust.	Robust observational data are available and serve as the primary source of information in conjunction with a limited number of RCTs.	Any research and health care regulations
Number of writing committee members	Up to 20	Up to 20	Up to 10
Review	Following the writing committee's established composition principles, a lead reviewer and up to 5 anonymous reviewers from each participating entity in collaboration with the governing bodies	Following the writing committee's established composition principles, a lead reviewer and up to 5 anonymous reviewers from each participating entity in collaboration with the governing bodies	Following the writing committee's established composition principles, up to 3 anonymous reviewers from each participating entity
Length	Up to 30,000 words and a total of 500 references	Up to 15,000 words and a total of 300 references	Up to 5000 words and a total of 50 references
Time frame	24 months	12 months	6 months

	Clinical practice guidelines	Expert consensus statements	Clinical statements/white papers
Definition	Evidence-based documents containing systematically developed recommendations with an explicit clinical scope and explicit consideration of benefits, harms, values, and preferences.	Expert position on a controversial or specific clinical topic, formulated as a statement of facts based on available evidence and expert consensus in situations where high-level evidence is unavailable.	Extensive reports outlining positions on critical clinical issues while highlighting areas of ongoing uncertainty or concern for patient safety.
Source of evidence	Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are available and serve as the primary source of information; observational data are used if considered robust.	Robust observational data are available and serve as the primary source of information in conjunction with a limited number of RCTs.	Any research and health care regulations
Number of writing committee members	Up to 20	Up to 20	Up to 10
Review	Following the writing committee's established composition principles, a lead reviewer and up to 5 anonymous reviewers from each participating entity in collaboration with the governing bodies	Following the writing committee's established composition principles, a lead reviewer and up to 5 anonymous reviewers from each participating entity in collaboration with the governing bodies	Following the writing committee's established composition principles, up to 3 anonymous reviewers from each participating entity
Length	Up to 30,000 words and a total of 500 references	Up to 15,000 words and a total of 300 references	Up to 5000 words and a total of 50 references
Time frame	24 months	12 months	6 months

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