Management of Conflict of Interest Issues in the Activities of the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee, 2000–2005

In 2000 the American Heart Association (AHA), in conjunction with the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), sponsored the International Guidelines 2000 Conference on CPR and ECC. This conference led to the publication of the first international guidelines on CPR and ECC, Guidelines 2000 for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care: An International Consensus on Science .1 The conflict of interest (COI) policies governing the 2000 evidence discovery and consensus development process were consistent with the general COI policies in effect in the AHA at that time. Although these policies addressed disclosure and abstention from voting during subcommittee deliberations, they were, in retrospect, not sufficiently detailed to address the unique circumstances of a worldwide scientific review and consensus development process. In addition, they did not provide specific guidance for management of conflicts that arose among science reviewers, panelists, guidelines authors, and others involved in the complex guideline development process. After publication of the ECC Guidelines 2000 , the AHA was criticized for its management of potential conflicts among participants,2 particularly those participants who received industry support for research or consultation. An intense debate took place in the literature, news sections of scientific journals, and Internet chatrooms. The AHA contended that the rigor of the …