Changes

== '''Background''' ==

== '''Background''' ==

Clinical and public health guidelines are “systematically developed, evidence-based statements which assist providers, recipients and other stakeholders to make informed decisions about appropriate health interventions.”<ref name=":4">Institute of Medicine (US) Committee to Advise the Public Health Service on Clinical Practice Guidelines; Field MJ, Lohr KN, editors. Clinical Practice Guidelines: Directions for a New Program. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1990. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235751/</ref>  

Clinical and public health guidelines are “systematically developed, evidence-based statements which assist providers, recipients and other stakeholders to make informed decisions about appropriate health interventions.”<ref name=":4">Institute of Medicine (US) Committee to Advise the Public Health Service on Clinical Practice Guidelines; Field MJ, Lohr KN, editors. Clinical Practice Guidelines: Directions for a New Program. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1990. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235751/</ref>  

== PHAC disclosure of interest form for guideline development ==

== PHAC disclosure of interest form for guideline development ==

Diclosure of interests is the first step towards the proper management of any COIs that may be present. However, a common challenge among guideline developers is that disclosure forms often to not solicit sufficient detail to allow for a fulsome assessment for the presence of COI. In order to carry out an assessment, as described in the section below, we must rely on disclosure of information related to those factors. Figure 1 provides an overview of the link between disclosures of interests, and the identification and management of COI.[[File:COI processes.jpg|center|frame|622x622px|<u>Figure 1.</u> An overview of processes involved in the disclosure and assessment of interests, and identification and management of COI]]

Diclosure of interests is the first step towards the proper management of any COIs that may be present. However, a common challenge among guideline developers is that disclosure forms often do not solicit sufficient detail to allow for a fulsome assessment for the presence of COI. In order to carry out an assessment, as described in the section below, we must rely on disclosure of information related to those factors. Figure 1 provides an overview of the link between disclosures and assessments of interests, and the identification and management of COI.[[File:COI processes.jpg|center|frame|622x622px|<u>Figure 1.</u> An overview of processes involved in the disclosure and assessment of interests, and identification and management of COI]]

Thus, PHAC has developed a disclosure of interest form that can be adapted by a wide variety of users, that solicits the details required to allow for an assessment to determine the presence of COI, as outlined in the following section. This disclosure form has been designed to be used in conjunction with the COI assessment tool provided below, but does not need to be. Groups may adopt the form as is, or adapt it to better suit the particular needs of their guideline development group.  

Thus, PHAC has developed a disclosure of interest form that can be adapted by a wide variety of users, that solicits the details required to allow for an assessment to determine the presence of COI, as outlined in the following section. This disclosure form has been designed to be used in conjunction with the COI assessment tool provided below, but does not need to be. Groups may adopt the form as is, or adapt it to better suit the particular needs of their guideline development group.  

The PHAC tool allows for a structured and transparent assessment of the above factors, to allow the assessor to come to a final judgment about the presence of COI. Use of the tool involves the following steps:

The PHAC tool allows for a structured and transparent assessment of the above factors, to allow the assessor to come to a final judgment about the presence of COI. Use of the tool involves the following steps:

# Interests are disclosed by the expert in the DOI form (see PHAC COI disclosure form for guideline development)

# Interests are disclosed by the expert in the DOI form (see PHAC COI disclosure form for guideline development)

# Info disclosed in forms by experts are input into the tool by the assessor

# Interests disclosed in forms by experts are input into the tool by the assessor

# Assessor makes a judgment on relevancy and other key considerations

# Assessor makes a judgment on relevancy and other key considerations

# Based on those factors, a judgment is made on the presence (yes/no) and type of COI (financial, non-financial) and how significant the COI is (low, moderate, high), with the aid of a rubric/algorithm

# Based on those factors, a judgment is made on the presence (yes/no) and type of COI (financial, non-financial) and how significant the COI is (low, moderate, high), with the aid of a rubric/algorithm