U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Opportunities for Public Comment

Available for Comment

Screening for Iron Deficiency Anemia in Childhood and Pregnancy

Draft Research Plan
April 11–May 8, 2013

Screening for Oral Cancer

Draft Recommendation Statement
April 9–May 6, 2013

Risk Assessment, Genetic Counseling, and Genetic Testing for BRCA-Related Cancer

Draft Evidence Report
April 2–April 29, 2013
Draft Recommendation Statement
April 2–April 29, 2013

Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children

Draft Research Plan
March 28–April 24, 2013

Screening for Peripheral Artery Disease and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment With Ankle Brachial Index in Adults

Draft Evidence Report
March 19–April 15, 2013
Draft Recommendation Statement
March 19–April 15, 2013

Helpful Information

USPSTF Newsroom Tell me more about clinical preventive services. Tell me more about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Tell me how the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality supports the USPSTF. Tell me more about the USPSTF Recommendation Statements and how they are used. Tell me why USPSTF Recommendations are addressed to primary care providers instead of individuals. Tell me who serves on the USPSTF and how they are selected. Tell me how I can nominate a clinical preventive health service for the USPSTF to consider.

In an effort to make the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations clearer and its processes more transparent, the Task Force started posting draft Recommendation Statements online for public comment in 2010. To further enhance its work, the Task Force began inviting public comment on all its draft Research Plans in December 2011 and its draft Evidence Reports in March 2013. To learn more about and comment on USPSTF draft Research Plans, Evidence Reports, or Recommendation Statements, continue reading below.

Research Plans

A small group of USPSTF members, called topic leads, works with researchers from the Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) to create a draft Research Plan to guide the systematic review of the evidence. The Research Plan consists of an analytic framework, key questions, and a literature search strategy or research approach. Each draft Research Plan is posted for public comment for 4 weeks. The USPSTF topic leads, with the assistance of the EPC researchers, review all of the comments received, revise the draft plan, and develop a final Research Plan. The final Research Plan is then posted on this Web site.

Evidence Reports

The research team at the EPC independently implements the final Research Plan by conducting a systematic review of the evidence to address the questions posed by the USPSTF. The research team presents a draft Evidence Report to the full USPSTF at one of its in-person meetings. After the meeting, each draft Evidence Report is shared with a panel of external subject matter experts and posted for public comment for 4 weeks. Based on feedback received from Task Force members, subject matter experts, and the public, the research team finalizes the Evidence Report and prepares a manuscript summarizing the evidence for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or on this Web site. The USPSTF, in partnership with AHRQ's Effective Health Care (EHC) Program, also offers opportunities for public comment on EHC draft Evidence Reports that are related to the USPSTF's work. To learn more about and comment on draft Evidence Reports from AHRQ's EHC Program, visit http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/research-available-for-comment/.

Recommendation Statements

During one of its in-person meetings, the entire USPSTF reviews the evidence, evaluates the benefits and harms of the clinical preventive service, and discusses and develops one or more specific recommendations. After the meeting, the topic leads write a full draft Recommendation Statement that includes the specific recommendations of the entire USPSTF, a rationale section, a section of clinical considerations to guide health care professionals, and a discussion section that reviews the evidence and discusses the recommendations of other organizations. The USPSTF posts its draft Recommendation Statement on this Web site for public comment for 4 weeks. The USPSTF topic leads review all of the comments received and revise the draft Recommendation Statement. The final Recommendation Statement is reviewed and voted on by the full Task Force, and posted on this Web site.

How to Comment

Any visitor to this site can comment on any of the listed USPSTF draft documents. However, readers should note that the USPSTF writes these documents for researchers, primary care doctors, and other health care providers, using medical and scientific language as appropriate for these audiences. To comment, click on the type of draft document in the box at top right. Comments must be received before the comment deadline listed below each title. The comment period for draft documents is 4 weeks. Once the draft Research Plan, Evidence Report, or Recommendation Statement is removed from the public comment page, the USPSTF begins considering comments and finalizing the document. Until the final Recommendation Statement is published, the USPSTF considers the Recommendation Statements on this Web site to be current. You will receive acknowledgement that your comments have been transmitted. At the present time, the USPSTF cannot provide responses to individual comments.

Previous Opportunities for Public Comment

Screening for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia (Draft Research Plan)	March 7–April 3, 2013
Screening for Hypertension in Children and Adolescents	February 26–March 25, 2013
Screening for Vitamin D Deficiency (Draft Research Plan)	February 26–March 25, 2013
Screening for Glaucoma	February 19–March 18, 2013
Behavioral Counseling to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections	January 29–February 25, 2013
Behavioral Counseling to Promote a Healthy Diet and Physical Activity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Persons With Known Risk Factors	January 29–February 25, 2013
Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Child Maltreatment	January 22–February 18, 2013
Screening for Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis (Draft Research Plan)	January 15–February 11, 2013
Interventions to Reduce the Nonmedical Use of Drugs in Children and Adolescents (Draft Research Plan)	January 15–February 11, 2013
Interventions to Prevent Tobacco Use in Children and Adolescents	December 11, 2012–January 7, 2013
Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Adults	November 27–December 24, 2012
Screening for HIV	November 20–December 20, 2012
Screening for Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Nonpregnant Adolescents and Adults (Draft Research Plan)	October 9–November 6, 2012
Screening and Behavioral Counseling in Primary Care to Reduce Alcohol Misuse	September 24–October 22, 2012
Prevention of Dental Caries in Preschool-Aged Children (Draft Research Plan)	July 10–August 7, 2012
Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation to Prevent Cancer and Osteoporotic Fractures in Adults	June 12–July 10, 2012
Screening for Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse of Elderly and Vulnerable Adults	June 12–July 10, 2012
Menopausal Hormone Therapy for the Prevention of Chronic Conditions	May 29–June 26, 2012
Screening for Chronic Kidney Disease	April 30–May 29, 2012
Screening for Ovarian Cancer	April 10–May 8, 2012
Genetic Risk Assessment and BRCA Mutation Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Susceptibility (Draft Research Plan)	February 28–March 27, 2012
Screening for Peripheral Artery Disease (Draft Research Plan)	December 15, 2011–January 12, 2012
Screening for Coronary Heart Disease with Electrocardiography	November 30–December 13, 2011
Screening for Hearing Loss in Older Adults	November 30–December 13, 2011
Screening for Prostate Cancer	November 30–December 13, 2011
Counseling to Prevent Skin Cancer	November 8–December 6, 2011
Screening for Cervical Cancer	October 19–November 30, 2011
Screening and Management for Obesity in Adults	October 26–November 23, 2011
Screening for Prostate Cancer	October 11–November 8, 2011
Screening for Hearing Loss in Older Adults	October 4–November 1, 2011
Screening for Coronary Heart Disease with Electrocardiography	September 27–October 25, 2011
Screening and Treatment for Glaucoma	September 14–October 12, 2011
Counseling to Promote a Healthy Diet and Physical Activity in Adults	February 22, 2011–March 22, 2011
Falls Prevention in Older Adults	January 12, 2011–February 9, 2011
Screening for Bladder Cancer	November 30, 2010–December 28, 2010
Screening for Testicular Cancer	September 21, 2010–October 19, 2010
Ocular Prophylaxis for Gonococcal Ophthalmia Neonatorum	August 16, 2010–September 13, 2010
Screening for Osteoporosis	July 6, 2010–August 3, 2010