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Barriers to translating EU and US CVD guidelines into practice in China

Abstract

With the increasing globalization of clinical research and evidence, clinical-practice guidelines (CPGs) developed by the European Union (EU) and the USA are also becoming increasingly international. However, these CPGs can encounter barriers to their practical application. In this Perspectives article, we analyze the main obstacles to the application of EU and US CPGs for cardiovascular diseases from the unique perspective of China, and highlight some potential problems in the globalization of CPGs. Currently, China and other countries with limited independent evidence for CPG development must localize or adapt the CPGs developed by the EU, the USA, or international medical organizations, with systematic consideration of cost-effectiveness and alternative strategies on the basis of the available evidence from the native populations. At the same time, comprehensive capabilities to collect and review clinical evidence to produce population-specific CPGs should be developed.

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D. Zhao researched the data for the article. Both authors contributed substantially to discussion of its content, writing the manuscript, and to reviewing and editing it before submission.

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Correspondence to Dayi Hu.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Zhao, D., Hu, D. Barriers to translating EU and US CVD guidelines into practice in China. Nat Rev Cardiol 9, 425–429 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2012.62

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