2009-04-15
The recently established Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) held the first of three scheduled public “listening sessions” on April 13 in Washington, DC.
Authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA),
the Council has been tasked with helping to coordinate and guide
investment in CER funded by ARRA and must submit a report to Congress
and President Obama by June 30, 2009, that contains information
describing current federal activities on CER and recommendations for
the $400 million in CER funds allocated to the Secretary of Health and
Human Services under ARRA.
The main objective of the listening session is to obtain public
input on CER priorities and how this research can improve the
health-care system. More than 30 provider groups, pharmaceutical
industry organization groups, and patient groups provided input to the
Council at the April 13 session. Additional listening sessions have
been tentatively scheduled for May 6 and May 13. Additional information
on future listening sessions, as well as a transcript of the April 13
session, will be available of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Recovery Program Web site.
ASH is currently working to develop a list of CER priorities and
recommendations in hematology that will include topics in malignant and
benign hematology across the lifespan as well as several examples of
research/clinical studies to achieve these priorities. The hematology
priorities and recommendations will be provided to policymakers as
decisions about federal CER funding and priorities are made.
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