Evidence-based medicine and practice guidelines: application to genetics.
The Professional Practice and Guidelines Committee of the American College of Medical Genetics has the responsibility of overseeing the development of guidelines for the practice of clinical genetics. In the past, most, if not all, guidelines were primarily based on expert opinion. However, recently the goal has become to develop guidelines that are more evidence-based, or at least, to recognize the level of evidence available to the authors of these documents. This article reviews the challenges that are faced by geneticists who are charged with the development of practice guidelines.
Toriello
Helga V
HV
Spectrum Health-Genetics, 25 Michigan St. Suite 2000, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA. Helga.toriello@spectrum-health.org
Goldenberg
Paula
P
D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D033142:Genetic Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011787:Quality of Health Care