GRADE: an emerging consensus on rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendations

Guidelines are inconsistent in how they rate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations. This article explores the advantages of the GRADE system. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE ) approach provides a system for rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendations that is explicit, comprehensive, transparent, and pragmatic and is increasingly being adopted by organisations worldwide. This is the first in a series of five articles that explain the GRADE system for rating the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. Article from the BMJ - Volume 336 - 26 April 2008. Source: http://www.bmj.com/content/336/7650/924.full.pdf