Xiaoqin Wang1, Yaolong Chen2, Liang Yao3, Qi Zhou4, Qiongfang Wu5, Janne Estill6, Qi Wang1, Kehu Yang7, Susan L Norris8. 1. Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Knowledge Translation of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China; Chinese GRADE Center, Lanzhou 730000, China. 2. Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Knowledge Translation of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China; Chinese GRADE Center, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: chengyaolong21@163.com. 3. Clinical Research and Evidence-based Medicine Institute of the People's Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China. 4. Basic Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. 5. Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Hospital, Beijing 100000, China. 6. Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Institute of Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. 7. Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Knowledge Translation of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China; Chinese GRADE Center, Lanzhou 730000, China; Basic Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: kehuyangebm2006@126.com. 8. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the declaration of interests (DOIs), management of conflict of interest (COI), and the funders for World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We examined all Guidelines Review Committee (GRC)-approved WHO guidelines published in English from January 2007 (inception of the GRC) to November 2016. We obtained a list of all such guidelines from the GRC Secretariat. Characteristics of guidelines including funders and individual contributors' DOI were independently extracted by two researchers. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between declarations and the number of organizations involved in development. RESULTS: A total of 176 guidelines fulfilled inclusion criteria, encompassing 14 clinical or public health fields. Funders were reported in 128 (73%) of the guidelines: the most common were governments. DOI for external contributors were reported in 157 (89%) of the guidelines: 75 (48%) indicated no contributors with COI, 57 (36%) reported contributors with COI, and 25 (16%) reported collecting DOI but not whether COI existed. Financial COI were reported more frequently than nonfinancial COI. Of 57 guidelines that reported COI, 45 (79%) indicated how the COI were managed. CONCLUSION: The majority of WHO guidelines reported their funding sources and the DOI and COI of external contributors in their guideline documents. However, there is a need for improvement, in particular for reporting of funders and their role, declaration processes, and management of COI.
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the declaration of interests (DOIs), management of conflict of interest (COI), and the funders for World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We examined all Guidelines Review Committee (GRC)-approved WHO guidelines published in English from January 2007 (inception of the GRC) to November 2016. We obtained a list of all such guidelines from the GRC Secretariat. Characteristics of guidelines including funders and individual contributors' DOI were independently extracted by two researchers. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between declarations and the number of organizations involved in development. RESULTS: A total of 176 guidelines fulfilled inclusion criteria, encompassing 14 clinical or public health fields. Funders were reported in 128 (73%) of the guidelines: the most common were governments. DOI for external contributors were reported in 157 (89%) of the guidelines: 75 (48%) indicated no contributors with COI, 57 (36%) reported contributors with COI, and 25 (16%) reported collecting DOI but not whether COI existed. Financial COI were reported more frequently than nonfinancial COI. Of 57 guidelines that reported COI, 45 (79%) indicated how the COI were managed. CONCLUSION: The majority of WHO guidelines reported their funding sources and the DOI and COI of external contributors in their guideline documents. However, there is a need for improvement, in particular for reporting of funders and their role, declaration processes, and management of COI.