The unwelcome consequences of Guideline authorship
Deirdre J Murphy, MD FRCOG, Professor of Obstetrics,
Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Coombe Hospital & Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland.
Email: murphyd4@tcd.ie
Phone: 00 353 (1) 4085200
Word Count: 1019
Conflicts of interest: The author provides expert opinion for medico-legal cases involving cerebral palsy and perinatal death.
Clinical practice guidelines are designed to promote good practice, increase patient safety, and reduce unwarranted variation in care. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) produce evidence-based guidelines on common and important aspects of patient care. The guidelines are commissioned from specialists in their fields. An extensive peer-review process takes place, followed by public consultation, after which the final version is approved and published. Additional information is provided in a more accessible format for service users. I have contributed to this work over the past two decades as a guideline author, committee member and chair.