[Consensus conference: methodology and contribution]

A consensus conference is a method used to evaluate a medical process and to elaborate practice guidelines. The goal of consensus conference is to obtain the best possible outcomes for patients. The guidelines are written by a multidisplinary jury which analyses scientific datas and clinical practices. Consensus conference don't resolve all medical problems. It's a good evaluation method for the topics where there are non medical sides, inappropriate medical options or different clinical practices in spite of sufficient scientific datas. Consensus conference use three distinct groups: organization committee, jury and experts. The lectures of the experts and the guidelines must distinguish and clarify which is scientifically proved. Use of biomedical databases and critical analysis of biomedical articles are useful. Practice guidelines must be clear, precise, explicit and useful for clinical practices. Measurement of the real usefulness of consensus conference is difficult: it's the problem of the impact of guidelines on care. Usually it could be realized by survey of clinical practices or drugs consuming. The impact will be better with a large use of media, dissemination of the guidelines in the medical faculties and during professional workshops.