Objective: To develop and translate rigorous, comprehensive evidence-based diagnosis, assessment and treatment guidelines, to improve the lives of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) worldwide.
Participants: Extensive health professional and patient engagement informed guideline priority areas. International Society-nominated panels included consumers, paediatrics, endocrinology, gynaecology, primary care, reproductive endocrinology, psychiatry, psychology, dietetics, exercise physiology, public health, project management, evidence synthesis and translation experts.
Evidence: Best practice evidence-based guideline development involved extensive evidence synthesis and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework covered evidence quality, feasibility, acceptability, cost, implementation and ultimately recommendation strength.
Process: Governance included an international advisory board from six continents, a project board, five guideline development groups with 63 members, consumer and translation committees. The Australian Centre for Research Excellence in PCOS, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), partnered with European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Thirty seven organisations across 71 countries collaborated with 23 face to face international meetings over 15 months. Sixty prioritised clinical questions involved 40 systematic and 20 narrative reviews, generating
166 recommendations and practice points. Convened Committees from partner and collaborating organisations provided peer review and the guideline was approved by the NHMRC