Conflict of interest management before, during, and after the 2005 International Consensus Conference on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care science with treatment recommendations

Abstract

To preserve the public trust and integrity of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) evidence evaluation process, in 2004 ILCOR established a conflict of interest (COI) policy1,E1 to manage any real or potential conflicts of interest in an open and effective manner. Readers of the electronic version of this supplement can access the online documents by clicking on the E# callout, which will take them to the hyperlink in the Online Documents Cited list at the end of this editorial. Readers of the print version can access the documents at the URLs listed or by clicking the links found at http://www.C2005.org. This editorial explains the ILCOR and American Heart Association (AHA) COI policies and their application throughout the 2005 evidence evaluation process. ILCOR and the AHA also welcome readers’ questions and feedback on this process. The value of the ILCOR evidence evaluation process depends on rigorous expert review of published science. Therefore, it is essential that any potential professional conflict of interest be fully disclosed and managed effectively during the planning and conduct of the evidence evaluation process, especially when issues arise. Because many of the world’s most qualified scientific experts may have professional relationships that could pose a real or perceived conflict of interest, it is not always possible to avoid all involvement by such persons. It is necessary, however, to limit and manage their involvement in areas of potential conflict, especially to minimize their influence over consensus statements or recommendations in such areas. ILCOR COI procedures applied to all ILCOR delegates, 2005 Consensus Conference participants, observers, worksheet experts, worksheet authors, editors of the ILCOR 2005 CPR Consensus document (published in this supplement), and all others working on ILCOR projects. As host of the 2005 Consensus Conference, the AHA also required every participant to complete an AHA …