The Open Comment phase serves as a vital step in our quality assurance process, where key stakeholders play a pivotal role in meticulously assessing draft guidelines before their finalization and subsequent publication. This approach upholds the highest standards of transparency, aligning seamlessly with the benchmarks set by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Council for Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) for standards development.
Furthermore, the Open Comment mechanism empowers the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) to actively involve its membership in addressing critical issues that impact clinical practice. This inclusive engagement aims to elevate the quality of our end product and facilitate its smooth integration into clinical settings.
During this phase, IASLC's expert recommendations will be open for a two-week feedback period. Reviewers will be required to submit their input through a Qualtrics form. To ensure confidentiality, reviewers will need to electronically sign a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement on the form's initial page. Additionally, reviewers are kindly requested to provide their name and affiliation, as anonymous comments will not be considered.
Once received, comments will undergo thorough review and summarization by IASLC staff. Relevant feedback will be presented to the expert panel chairs and the entire panel if deemed necessary. Any modifications resulting from the open comment process will undergo scrutiny by the entire panel before approval. It's important to note that comments received are advisory in nature, and IASLC retains the discretion to incorporate or reject feedback as it deems fit.
Please note that IASLC will not engage in direct responses to individual reviewers or publicly post responses to comments. This process ensures a rigorous, unbiased evaluation of the recommendations while maintaining the integrity of the development process.
Open Comment Guidelines
