A desktop guide to Type 2 diabetes mellitus. European Diabetes Policy Group 1999.

Clinical guidelines have been defined a s "system­ atically developed statements defined to help clinicians and patients make decisions, about appropriate health care for specific circumstances". The advoca tes of guidelines claim that they make clinical care more consistent, cost effective, and evidence based, and even view them a s panacea for all health problems. Critics claim that they infringe upon and curtail clini­ cal freedom, and distort allocation of resources.