Introducing GRADE: a systematic approach to rating evidence in systematic reviews and to guideline development

GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) is a well-developed formal process to rate the quality of scientific evidence in systematic reviews and to develop recommendations in guidelines that are as evidencebased as possible. GRADE was developed by an international panel, including members of some of the premier evidence-based practice centers (McMaster, Harvard, the Norwegian and German Cochrane Centres, etc.). While there were some earlier publications, a series of papers published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology from 2011 to 2013 constitute the most complete and systematic expose. More information can be found on the GRADE Working Group’s website (http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org).