International Guideline Harmonization Group
Methods
The IGHG utilizes a consistent methodology adherent to the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) Collaboration and the standards for Developing Trustworthy Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Institute of Medicine.
This involves systematic literature review, development of evidence-based summaries, and evaluation of the evidence according to methods developed by Cochrane Childhood Cancer of the Cochrane Collaboration, and the formulation of recommendations for each guideline topic.
For each topic, concordances and discordances and underlying evidence supporting recommendations in existing national guidelines are evaluated. Extensive evidence summaries are then organized to formulate recommendations related to focused clinical questions regarding treatment groups at risk, timing and frequency of surveillance, surveillance modality, and available interventions for the specific health condition. Considering the diversity in international health care systems, IGHG recommendations are formulated in a way that can serve as a basis for local adaptation.
