Objectives: This study aimed to reach consensus on the COS for eczema treatment by Traditional Chinese medicine.
Methods: A steering group of researchers and clinicians will guide the COS development. 6 stakeholder groups are involved: patients, Traditional Chinese medicine doctor, physician, nurses, research worker and drug regulatory authorities. A 1:1 ratio of patients: healthcare professionals are aimed for. The initial list of candidate items will be obtained by combining three data sets: (1) a systematic review of the literature, (2) eczema patients who have received TCM treatment and (3) an online healthcare professional (HCP) item generation survey. To reach consensus on the COS, 3 anonymous online Delphi rounds are then planned together with 1 face-to-face consensus meetings.
Discussion: A COS in this field has the potential to allow fast-tracking recommendations for application in research and clinical practice.
Principal investigator: Li Xin, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Disease Category: Skin
Disease Name: Eczema
Age Range: 18 - 120
Sex: Either
Nature of Intervention: Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Clinical experts
- Conference participants
- Consumers (patients)
- Journal editors
- Methodologists
- Patient/ support group representatives
- Policy makers
- Researchers
- COS for clinical trials or clinical research
- COS for practice
- Consensus meeting
- Delphi process
- Interview
- Survey
- Systematic review
(1) Build the COS pool: a systematic review of the literature, eczema patients who have received TCM treatment and an online healthcare professional (HCP) item generation survey; (2) 3 anonymous online Delphi rounds; (3) face-to-face consensus meetings.