Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are “systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances.” (Institute of Medicine, 1990)

In 2011, Institute of Medicine (IOM) updated the definition of CPGs: Clinical practice guidelines are statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options.

This new definition provides a clear distinction between “CPGs” and other forms of clinical guidance. IOM also proposed 8 standards for developing trustworthy CPGs: (1) Establishing Transparency, (2) Management of Conflict of Interest (COI), (3) Guideline Development Group Composition, (4) Clinical Practice Guideline–Systematic Review Intersection, (5) Establishing Evidence Foundations for and Rating Strength of Recommendations, (6) Articulation of Recommendations, (7) External Review, (8) Updating. (Institute of Medicine, 2011)