Sickle cell disease: screening, diagnosis, management, and counseling in newborns and infants. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.

The AHCPR guideline on sickle cell disease has several strengths and many weaknesses. For the practicing physician it is strongest in recommending medical management of infants with sickle cell disease but weakest on screening and education and counseling. The evidence-based methodology should have been presented in more detail. Until that occurs, family physicians are left with this guideline as a summary of expert opinions with variable documentation of the underlying science.