The European Commission developed guidelines on breast cancer screening and diagnosis based on scientific evidence. Because research continuously produces new evidence, the Commission has also developed an updating strategy to allow the consideration and potential inclusion of this new evidence.
Aim
The updating strategy aims to ensure that the guidelines continue to be based on the latest available scientific findings, thereby remaining a valid tool for healthcare providers, policymakers and citizens. The strategy is designed as a transparent and reproducible process.
Description
The updating process allows considering if new evidence may impact the content of each recommendation developed. The process is modular, subdivided in successive phases to assess the specific updating need of each recommendation.
The updating strategy is currently being reviewed following the results from the 2021 Update.
Approach
The workflow of the updating strategy consists of four phases:
prioritisation
surveillance
updating
publication
Each recommendation can pass through one or more phases depending on the new evidence available.
