[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3849-3850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-612]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Solicitation for Nominations for New Primary and Secondary Health
Topics To Be Considered for Review by the United States Preventive
Services Task Force
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), DHHS.
ACTION: Solicit for new topic nominations.
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SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites
individuals and organizations to nominate primary and secondary
prevention topics pertaining to clinical preventive services that they
would like the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to
consider for review. A list of topics that have been recently reviewed
or are currently under review by the USPSTF is listed below in the
supplementary information section.
The USPSTF is an independent panel of experts that makes evidence-
based recommendations regarding the provision of clinical preventive
services. Clinical preventive services include screening, counseling
and preventive medications. The USPSTF makes recommendations about
preventive services for asymptomatic people--people without recognized
signs or symptoms of the specific conditions targeted by the preventive
service.
Topics can be nominated by individuals, organizations, evidence-
based practice centers (EPC) and USPSTF members. The USPSTF will
consider nominations and prioritize topics for review based on the
following set of criteria: Public health importance (burden of
suffering, potential of preventive service to reduce the burden); new
evidence that has the potential to change prior recommendations
including inactive ones; and, potential for greatest Task Force impact
(e.g., clinical controversy, practice does not reflect evidence,
inappropriate timing in delivery of services). The USPSTF will
prioritize topics for which there is a performance gap and the
potential to significantly improve clinical practice. Individuals and
organizations may nominate new topics or topics previously reviewed by
the USPSTF.
Basic Topic Nomination Requirements: Nominations must be no more
than 500 words in length and must include the following information.
Nominations may include an appendix that contains references and
supporting documents (not included in word count).
1. Name of topic.
2. Rationale for consideration by the USPSTF, to include:
a. Primary or secondary prevention topic (screening, counseling or
preventive medication).
b. Primary care relevance (aplicable clinical preventive service
must be initiated in the primary care setting which can be defined as
family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics or obstetrics/gynecology
and provided by a primary care provider).
c. Description of public health importance (burden of disease/
suffering, potential of preventive service to reduce burden, including
effective interventions). Citations and supporting documents are
recommended.
d. Summary of new evidence, if any, that has potential to affect
the Task Force's recommendation on a previously reviewed topic. Please
refer to http://preventiveservices.ahrg.gov for USPSTF recommendations.
Citations and supporting documents are recommended.
e. Description of potential impact of USPSTF's review of the topic,
i.e., change in clinical practice, research focus, etc.
DATES: Topic nominations should be submitted by February 23, 2006, in
order to be considered for 2006-2008. AHRQ will not reply to
submissions in response to the request for nominations, but will
consider all topic nominations during the selection process. If a topic
is selected for review by the USPSTF, the nominator will be notified by
AHRQ.
ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations to: Therese Miller, DrPH, ATTN:
USPSTF Topic Nominations, Center for Primary Care, Prevention &
Clinical Partnerships, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 540
Gaither Road,
[[Page 3850]]
Rockville, MD 20850, Fax: 301.427.1597, E-mail: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Therese Miller at [email protected] or
Gloria Washington at [email protected].
Arrangement For Public Inspection: All nominations will be
available for public inspections by appointment at the Center for
Primary Care, Prevention & Clinical Partnerships, 301.427.1500,
weekdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. (eastern time).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under Title IX of the Public Health Service Act, AHRQ is charged
with enhancing the quality, appropriateness and effectiveness of health
care services and access to such services. AHRQ accomplishes these
goals through scientific research and promotion of improvements in
clinical practice, including prevention of diseases and other health
conditions and improvements in the organization, financing and delivery
of health care services (42 U.S.C. 299-299c-7 as amended by Pub. L.
106-129 (1999)).
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is an
independent expert panel, first established in 1984 under the auspices
of the U.S. Public Health Service. Currently, under AHRQ's authorizing
legislation noted above, the Director of AHRQ is responsible for
convening the USPSTF to be composed of individuals with appropriate
expertise. The mission of the Task Force is to rigorously evaluate the
effectiveness of critical preventive services and to formulate
recommendations for primary care clinicians regarding the appropriate
provision of preventive services. The USPSTF transitioned to a standing
Task Force in 2001. Current Task Force recommendations and associated
evidence reviews are available at http://www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov.
Topic Nomination Solicitation
The purpose of this solicitation for new topics by AHRQ and the
USPSTF is to create a balanced portfolio of relevant topics for the
current Task Force library. The library is based on populations, types
of services (screening, counseling, preventive medications), and
disease types (cancer; heart and vascular disease; injury and violence-
related disorders; infectious diseases; mental disorders and substance
abuse; metabolic, nutritional and endocrine diseases; musculoskeletal
conditions; obstetric and gynecological conditions; pediatric
disorders; and, vision and hearing disorders). Selection of suggested
topics will be made on the basis of qualifications of nominations as
outlined above (see basic topic nomination requirements) and the
current expertise of the USPSTF.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
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Type of preventive service
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Topics Currently Under Review:
Additional Risk Factors for Intermediate S
CHD Risk.
Aspirin Primary Prevention of CHD........ PM
Aspirin Prophylaxis in Pregnancy......... PM
Aspirin/NSAIDs to prevent Colorectal PM
Cancer.
Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnancy......... S
Breast Cancer............................ S/PM
Carotid Artery Stenosis.................. S
Chlamydial Infection..................... S
Colorectal Cancer........................ S
Depression in Adults..................... S
Drug Misuse.............................. S
Dyslipidemia in Adults and Children...... S
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus............ S
Hearing Impairment in Elderly............ S
Hearing Impairment Newborn............... S
Hemochromatosis.......................... S
Hip Dysplasia............................ S
HIV & Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases C
Iron Deficiency Anemia, including iron S
prophylaxis.
Lead Levels in Childhood & Pregnancy..... S
Motor Vehicle Occupant Injuries.......... C
Obesity in Adults........................ S/C
Osteoporosis to prevent Fractures........ S
Skin Cancer.............................. S/C
Speech & Language Delay.................. S
Thyroid Cancer........................... S
Topics Recently Reviewed:
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm................ S
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.......... S
Alcohol Misuse........................... C
Bladder Cancer........................... S
BRCA 1 & 2............................... S
Breastfeeding............................ C
Cervical Cancer.......................... S
Coronary Heart Disease screening by EKG, S
ETT, EBCT.
Dementia................................. S
Dental Caries in Preschool Children...... S
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2................. S
Family Violence.......................... S
Genital Herpes Simplex................... S
Glaucoma................................. S
Gonorrhea................................ S
Hepatitis B Virus Infection.............. S
Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Adults.... S
Healthy Diet............................. C
HIV Infection............................ S
Hypertension............................. S
Low Back Pain............................ C
Lung Cancer.............................. S
Obesity in Children...................... S
Oral Cancer.............................. S
Ovarian Cancer........................... S
Pancreatic Cancer........................ S
Peripheral Arterial/Vascular Disease..... S
Physical Activity........................ C
Postmenopausal Hormone Prophylaxis (HRT). PM
Prostate Cancer.......................... S
Rh Incompatibility....................... S
Suicide Risk............................. S
Syphilis................................. S
Testicular Cancer........................ S
Thyroid Disease.......................... S
Visual Impairment in Children............ S
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Type of Preventive Service: S = Screening; C = Counseling; PM =
Preventive Medications.
Dated: January 17, 2006.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 06-612 Filed 1-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M