Setting priorities for the development of clinical practice guidelines has--similar to other decision-making procedures in health care--as much a political as a scientific component. Prioritizing guidelines aims to allocate resources to those health problems likely to maximize medical, social and economic outcomes associated with the use of these guidelines. This is a review and critical appraisal of international initiatives of systematically setting priorities for the development of clinical practice guidelines. Priority-setting criteria, both quantitative and qualitative methods as well as participation by relevant stakeholders will be discussed. This review provides possible decision-makers with an information basis which may assist in the development of concepts for setting priorities in a given context.