What is the GRADE of a recommendation?
The GRADE of a recommendation is based on the following elements: Four decision domains used to determine the strength and direction (described above) Relative strength ( Strong or Weak ) Direction ( For or Against ) The relative strength of the recommendation is based on a binary scale, Strong or Weak. A strong recommendation indicates that the Work Group is highly confident that desirable outcomes outweigh undesirable outcomes. If the Work Group is less confident in the balance between desirable and undesirable outcomes, they present a weak recommendation. Similarly, a recommendation for a therapy or preventive measure indicates that the desirable consequences outweigh the undesirable consequences. A recommendation against a therapy or preventive measure indicates that the undesirable consequences outweigh the desirable consequences. Occasionally, instances may occur when the Work Group feels there is insufficient evidence to make a recommendation for or against a particular therapy or preventive measure.