Conflict of interest guidelines for clinical guidelines.

Abstract

Clinical guidelines are being increasingly produced to improve quality of care, but are vulnerable to bias. • Only 15% of guidelines on the National Health and Medical Research Council portal from the most prolific developers have published conflict of interest statements, and fewer detail the processes used to manage conflicts. • Comprehensive disclosure of conflicts is needed to safeguard the integrity of clinical guidelines and the medical profession. • Peak bodies and clinicians should seek to promote an improvement to current poor practice.