Parsing the guidelines on guidelines: Balancing sensibility and conflict of interest

Reply

“…To maintain an unbiased approach, the AASLD and IDSA jointly developed FCOI regulations, prior to selection of members and publication of the first recommendations, largely based on Institute of Medicine Guideline Development and Evidence Standards, which are available on the guidance website. [ 1 ] This policy allows for inclusion of experts who have participated in clinical studies because they have extensive insight into the use of emerging direct‐acting antiviral agents (DAAs). To ensure objectivity, such experts can serve on the HCV guidance panel only if all payments from clinical trials are directed to their institution rather than to the individual investigator.…”