Developing HIV/AIDS Treatment Guidelines (UNAIDS, 1999, 43 p.): Part 2: Developing valid HIV/AIDS guidelines: Steps in developing HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines: 4. Role of the committee members

Developing HIV/AIDS Treatment Guidelines (UNAIDS, 1999, 43 p.)

Part 2: Developing valid HIV/AIDS guidelines

Steps in developing HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines

		1. Target groups and type of guideline
		2. Stakeholder mapping exercise
		3. Setting up a guideline development committee
		4. Role of the committee members
		5. Guideline scope
		6. Identifying and applying scientific evidence
		7. Methods of establishing consensus
		8. Deriving recommendations
		9. Drafting guidelines
		10. Involving external reviewers
		11. Disseminating and implementing guidelines
		12. Workplan for guideline development
		13. Budgeting for guideline development
		14. Public policy implications of HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines

4. Role of the committee members

The committee members' roles should be stipulated at the time of recruitment so that members clearly understand what is required of them. This is especially important where the members make a long-term commitment. Incentives for participation may have to be considered as the work of the committee can be time-consuming and may require absence from members regular work. The terms of reference for members of a typical committee would be as follows:

· (i) Group leader(s) will ensure that the guideline development group effectively achieves its task according to the terms of reference for the committee. This individual or individuals will have skills in facilitating groups and have experience in the guideline development process.
· (ii) Group members will have experience in developing clinical recommendations in the light of scientific evidence related to their particular specialty and skills in developing guidelines.
· (iii) Specialists in the different disciplines will review the literature, summarize relevant papers and lead the group members in discussing these as they develop recommendations.
· (iv) Technical assistants will support the committee in the literature review, data searches and presentation of this information, in a form that enables the committee to develop recommendations efficiently.
· (v) Administrative assistants will prepare papers for distribution at meetings, take notes, compile the outcomes of the discussions and arrange schedules, meetings and venues.

To promote confidence, credibility and transparency in the process of committee member selection it is advisable that those appointed declare their institutional affiliations and relationships with interest groups. These include drug and diagnostic firms, health ministries, medical associations or professional bodies. The following table is an example of criteria that can be used to achieve this.

Table 1: Declaration of potential sources of conflict of interest

Interest	Example
Personal, specific	Personal consultancy held by committee members on the specific drugs or diagnostic tests being discussed/evaluated
Personal, non-specific	Personal shares, consultancy held in drug or diagnostic companies
Non-personal, specific	The department or unit the committee member works in supports the specific drugs or diagnostic tests being discussed/evaluated
Non-personal, non-specific	The department or unit the committee member works in supports drug or diagnostic companies

Adapted from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network⁸