AHRQ Prevention Program - Opportunity for Public Comment

Identifying Research Priorities for Clinical Preventive Services
In the interest of encouraging research on topics that have critical evidence gaps and for which the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has issued a statement of ”insufficient evidence” (known as an “I Statement”), the Task Force and AHRQ are working together to establish priorities for research in the area of clinical preventive services. A working group has recently established draft methods for this process, and AHRQ is now offering an opportunity for public comment on the draft methodology. To provide comments, please go to http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tfcomment.htm and follow the directions for submitting comments. The public comment period is open until May 14, 2010.

Additional information about the evidence-based recommendations of the Task Force and AHRQ’s work to improve the delivery of effective clinical preventive services is available at: www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov.


Opportunity for Public Comment
Identifying Research Priorities for Clinical Preventive Services

Since first established in 1984, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has played an important role in identifying what is known about clinical preventive services. The USPSTF, an independent expert panel supported by AHRQ, makes evidence-based recommendations about the delivery of clinical preventive services for the general U.S. population. For many topics (about one-third), there is not enough evidence for the USPSTF to determine whether the potential benefits outweigh the potential harms of performing a particular clinical preventive service. For these topics, the USPSTF issues "I" Statements (meaning "Insufficient evidence").

The USPSTF has been charged with the task of developing a process for establishing research priorities about clinical preventive services for which the USPSTF has issued "I" Statements. The USPSTF has proposed methods for prioritization that could be applied consistently and objectively across all topics, and is now seeking your assessment of these methods.

In particular, the USPSTF is soliciting feedback on the following:

The method for evaluating Potential Preventable Burden, Harms, and Costs.
Domains other than Potential Preventable Burden, Harms, and Costs that the USPSTF should consider in determining the prioritization of research for clinical preventive services.

The process for identifying critical gaps in the evidence.

Other factors that the USPSTF should consider in assessing research feasibility.
Select for Identifying Research Priorities for Clinical Preventive Services (PDF file, 140 KB - http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/iwgpropmeth.pdf; PDF Help).
http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/iwgpropmeth.htm

Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m., EST, on May 14, 2010.

Current as of April 2010


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Internet Citation:

Opportunity for Public Comment. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tfcomment.htm