CPG-01
PBM in Dermatology: Inflammatory & Autoimmune Dermatoses
Wavelength, fluence, and dosing parameters for low-level laser therapy in psoriasis, vitiligo, lichen planus, and alopecia areata.
Clinical Reference Library · Member Resource
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Fourteen evidence-graded protocols governing the safe, effective use of photobiomodulation, UV phototherapy, photodynamic therapy, and laser-assisted wound care — authored by clinicians, peer-reviewed on a rolling 24-month cycle, and cited in dermatology and wound-care policy documents from Boston to Geneva.
- Active CPGs
- 14
- Review cycle
- 24 mo
- Citing bodies
- AAD · NHS · WHO
CPG Index · 2009–present
The canonical reference index
Fourteen active guidelines, organized by therapeutic area. Each entry shows evidence grade, last evidence-review date, current status, and access tier. Full PDF access is included with MLA membership; abstracts and scope statements are open to all clinicians.
I Photobiomodulation
CPG-02
PBM for Oral Mucositis in Oncology Supportive Care
Intraoral and extraoral protocols for prevention and management of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced mucositis.
CPG-03
PBM in Neurorehabilitation: Peripheral Nerve & Spinal Indications
Transcutaneous and transcranial PBM dosing for peripheral neuropathy, post-stroke recovery adjuncts, and traumatic nerve injury.
CPG-04
PBM Safety & Ocular Hazard Mitigation in Clinical Settings
Mandatory eye-safety parameters, signage, and protective-equipment specifications for Class 3B and Class 4 therapy lasers.
II UV Phototherapy
CPG-05
Narrowband UVB for Psoriasis & Atopic Dermatitis
311 nm TL-01 dosing, escalation schemes, and maintenance protocols for adult and pediatric populations.
CPG-06
PUVA: Psoralen–UVA Therapy
Systemic, bath, and topical PUVA protocols, ocular protection, and long-term carcinogenicity surveillance intervals.
CPG-07
UVA1 Therapy for Sclerosing & Inflammatory Dermatoses
Medium- and high-dose UVA1 protocols for morphea, scleroderma, and atopic dermatitis; thermal-load management.
III Photodynamic Therapy
CPG-08
Daylight-PDT for Actinic Keratosis
Methyl aminolevulinate and 5-aminolevulinic acid protocols using natural daylight exposure; climate-adaptive dosing.
CPG-09
Conventional PDT for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer
Superficial and nodular basal cell carcinoma, Bowen disease; lesion preparation, illumination parameters, and follow-up.
CPG-10
Antimicrobial PDT in Periodontology & Wound Care
Photosensitizer selection, light delivery, and adjunctive use in chronic infected wounds and peri-implantitis.
IV Medical Laser & Wound Care
CPG-11
Low-Level Laser Therapy for Chronic Wound Healing
Diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, pressure injuries; dosing matrix, frequency, and outcome measurements.
CPG-12
Fractional Laser in Burn Scarring & Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
Ablative and non-ablative fractional protocols for hypertrophic scarring; timing, energy density, and combination with PBM.
CPG-13
Intravascular Laser Therapy & Photopheresis
Extracorporeal photopheresis protocols for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, graft-versus-host disease, and solid-organ rejection.
CPG-14
Device Calibration, Output Verification & Quality Assurance
Annual output verification, irradiance spot-checks, and documentation standards required of every MLA-affiliated light-medicine service.
Methodology · Since 2009
How an MLA guideline earns its citation
Every Clinical Practice Guideline is built under the MLA Development Manual — a GRADE-aligned process supervised by the Standards & Compliance Council and externally reviewed by an independent methods panel before publication.
Evidence synthesis
A standing Evidence Review Group, comprising six full-time clinical research methodologists and two in-house biostatisticians, runs a structured search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and the MLA adverse-event registry for every CPG topic. Eligible studies are scored using GRADE; recommendations are mapped to one of four strength categories.
- PubMed-indexed since 2009 — 19,400+ citations cross-referenced
- GRADE evidence profiles published with each CPG
- Conflicts of interest disclosed per ICEMJE standards
External review & update cycle
Draft recommendations are circulated to specialty societies (American Academy of Dermatology, European Society for Photobiology, International Photodynamic Association) and posted for a 45-day public comment window. Final approval rests with the MLA Standards & Compliance Council, which has reviewed 480+ phototherapy devices for FDA 510(k) and EU MDR submission readiness.
- Rolling 24-month evidence-review cycle on every active CPG
- Triggered mid-cycle update for any Grade A safety finding
- Retired versions archived with annotated change log
Evidence base · The numbers behind the recommendations
Empirically grounded, not opinion
The MLA guidelines are anchored in the world's largest adverse-event registry for light-based medical devices — a longitudinal dataset that grows every week and is available to guideline authors under controlled data-use agreements.
312,000+
patient outcomes tracked since 2016
Adverse-event registry · MLA Standards & Compliance Council
19,400+
PubMed-indexed papers citing MLA guidance
5× growth across the past decade
47
countries covered by MLA protocols
11,400+ clinicians · 240+ institutions
19,000+
citations of MLA guidance in 2023 alone
#LightTherapyWorks · peer-reviewed literature
Adoption & recognition
Cited by the bodies that set the standard
MLA guidelines are referenced in clinical policy documents maintained by major dermatology and wound-care authorities — closing the loop from internal canon to bedside practice worldwide.
-
American Academy of Dermatology
"MLA guidelines serve as a primary reference for narrowband UVB and PBM dosing across our clinical policy library."
— AAD Phototherapy Committee, cited reference list
-
National Health Service · UK
"MLA protocols are referenced in NHS dermatology commissioning documents for adult and pediatric phototherapy services."
— NHS England Clinical Commissioning Policy, dermatology
-
World Health Organization · European Society for Photobiology
"The MLA adverse-event registry and 24-month review cycle provide a model for international light-medicine governance."
— Joint ESP / WHO Photobiology Working Group statement
Member-gated access
Full guidelines are a member benefit.
Abstracts and scope statements on this page are open to every clinician. The complete PDF, the 24-month evidence-update feed, the citation toolkit, and the adverse-event registry query interface are reserved for MLA members — the same clinicians who author, review, and update the recommendations.
11,400+ clinician members across 47 countries · Membership dues fund 71% of the Association's operating budget, keeping guidelines independent of device-industry sponsorship.