Fig. 1

Conflicts of interests in 67 German guidelines: declaration and management

Outcome categories are ranked from A (worst) to C or D (best)

Declaration and Assessment: A. No declaration, B. Undetailed declaration, C. Detailed declaration, D. Detailed declaration plus independent assessment

Composition of guideline group: A. Lack of declarations, B. More than 50% with COI, C. 25–50% with COI, D: Less than 25% with COI, E. All participants without COI (not depicted because the criterion was not met)

Independence of coordinators: A. Lack of declarations, B. All coordinators with COI, B. Some coordinators with COI, C. All coordinators without COI

Abstentions in participants with COI: A. No rule for abstentions, B. Rule for abstentions but not practiced, C. Partial abstentions D. Complete abstentions of participants with COI

External public review: A. No external review, B. External review, not fully documented, C. External review, fully documented