title: British Association for Sexual Health and HIV: framework for guideline development and assessment.
abstract: The Clinical Effectiveness Group of the British Association for Sexual Health has updated their methodology for the production of national guidelines for the management of sexually transmitted infections and related conditions. The main changes are the adoption of the GRADE system for assessing evidence and making recommendations and the introduction of a specific Conflict of Interests policy for Clinical Effectiveness Group members and guideline authors. This new methodology has been piloted during the production of the 2015 British Association for Sexual Health & HIV guideline on the management of syphilis.
authors.affiliation: Genitourinary Medicine, Manchester Centre for Sexual Health, The Hathersage Centre, Manchester, UK Margaret.kingston@cmft.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kingston
authors.affiliation: Genitourinary Medicine, Whittall Street Clinic, University Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Radcliffe
authors.affiliation: Genitourinary Medicine, Ashwood Centre for Sexual Health, St Mary's Hospital, Kettering, UK.
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cousins
authors.affiliation: Sexually Transmitted Bacteria Reference Unit, Public Health England, London, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fifer
authors.affiliation: Genitourinary Medicine, BASHH Clinical Effectiveness Group, London, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
authors.affiliation: Genitourinary Medicine, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Deepa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grover
authors.affiliation: Sexual and Reproductive Health, Chalmers Sexual Health Centre, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hardman
authors.affiliation: Genitourinary Medicine, North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.affiliation: Genitourinary Medicine, West London Centre for Sexual Health, London, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rayment
authors.affiliation: Genitourinary Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Treatment; guideline development and assessment; screening; sexually transmitted infections