Clinical expertise in choosing and managing drug therapy for
an individual patient involves an understanding of the
research evidence concerning the efficacy, effectiveness and
efficiency of the options, balanced with consideration of the
patient’s clinical circumstances, and their preferences and atti-
tudes (Haynes et al., 2002; Morris, 2002; Woolf et al., 1999).
Our hope is that these guidelines can support the implemen-
tation of evidence-based research findings into clinical prac-
tice by improving such understanding, specifically, providing
an up-to-date summary of evidence regarding the benefits and
risks of pharmacological interventions and highlighting areas
of current uncertainty. The robustness and reliability of the
evidence underlying each recommendation is indicated, and
while most of the recommendations should be taken as appli-
cable most of the time to the average patient, they do not
reflect standards of care that should be rigidly adhered to;
there will be occasions when unthinking observance could
do more harm than good (Woolf et al., 1999). Clinicians
should consider the applicability of recommendations in clin-
ical guidelines to each patient for whom they provide care,
using them to guide rather than dictate practice.