KEY TAKEAWAY

• The ACCORD reporting guidelines comprise a 35-item checklist that aims to improve the transparency of reporting on consensus methods.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for effective knowledge-sharing to guide healthcare decisions. In rapidly evolving situations, reaching consensus among experts from diverse backgrounds is crucial, especially when evidence is emergent or inconsistent. This process is best achieved using formal consensus methods.

Despite their critical role in healthcare and policy decision-making, consensus methods are often inadequately reported, leading to inconsistencies and lack of transparency. To address these issues, the ACcurate COnsensus Reporting Document (ACCORD) project was established to develop comprehensive guidelines for reporting the numerous consensus methods used in medical research.

The ACCORD reporting guidelines aim to enhance trust in the recommendations made by consensus panels, benefiting authors, journal editors, reviewers, and, ultimately, patients through more reliable healthcare recommendations.

The ACCORD checklist was formulated using the EQUATOR Network’s methodology for developing reporting guidelines, with the full study protocol published in Research Integrity and Peer Review. The project began with a systematic review, followed by 3 rounds of the Delphi process and several steering committee meetings. To ensure a comprehensive perspective, a diverse panel was engaged, comprising 72 participants from 6 continents and various professional backgrounds, including clinical, research, policy, and patient advocacy. Through this rigorous process, a preliminary checklist was refined to a final list of 35 essential items covering all sections of a manuscript.

The ACCORD reporting guidelines aim to enhance trust in recommendations made by consensus panels, benefiting authors, journal editors, reviewers, and ultimately patients through more reliable healthcare recommendations.

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