[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7203-7204]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2939]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research


Public Meeting on the Development of Colorectal Cancer Screening 
Clinical Practice Guideline

    The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) announces 
that a public meeting will be held to receive comments and information 
pertaining to the development of the clinical practice guideline on 
Screening for Colorectal Cancer. The guideline will focus on tests used 
to screen for colorectal cancer and the evidence of their 
effectiveness. The guideline is being developed by a non-profit 
contractor of AHCPR with the assistance of a panel of health care 
experts and consumers. Collaborative support for this effort is being 
provided by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney 
Diseases (NIDDK).
    A notice announcing that AHCPR was arranging for the development of 
this clinical practice guideline was published in the Federal Register 
on August 17, 1993 (Vol. 58, No. 157). That notice invited nominations 
for experts and consumers to serve on the panel that is developing the 
guideline.
    A public meeting to provide an opportunity for interested parties 
to contribute relevant information and comments, including research in 
areas relevant to the guideline, will be held as follows:

Meeting: Colorectal Cancer Screening
Date: April 19, 1995
From: 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Location: Old Town Holiday Inn, 480 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 
22314
Phone: (703) 549-6080
Fax: (703) 684-6508

Background

    The AHCPR is charged, under Title IX of the Public Health Service 
Act, with enhancing the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of 
health care services, and access to such services. The AHCPR 
accomplishes its goals through the establishment of a broad base of 
scientific research, and through the promotion of improvements in 
clinical practice and in the organization, financing, and delivery of 
health care services. (See 42 U.S.C. 299-299c-6 and 1320-12.)
    In keeping with its legislative mandates, AHCPR arranges for the 
development, periodic review, and update of clinically relevant 
guidelines that may be used by physicians, nurses, other health care 
providers, educators, and consumers to assist in determining how 
diseases, disorders, and other health care conditions can most 
effectively and appropriately be prevented, diagnosed, treated, and 
clinically managed. Medical review criteria, standards of quality, and 
performance measures are then developed based on the guidelines 
produced.
    Section 912 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 299b-1(b)), as amended, requires 
that the guidelines:
    1. Be based on the best available research and professional 
judgment;
    2. Be presented in formats appropriate for use by physicians, 
nurses, other health care providers, medical educators, medical review 
organizations, and consumers;
    3. Be presented in treatment-specific or condition-specific forms 
appropriate for use in clinical practice, education programs, and 
reviewing quality and appropriateness of medical care;
    4. Include information on the risks and benefits of alternative 
strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of the 
particular health condition(s); and
    5. Include information on the costs of alternative strategies for 
prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of the particular 
health condition(s), where cost information is available and reliable.
    Section 914 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 299b-3(a)), as amended, 
identifies factors to be considered in establishing priorities for 
guidelines, including the extent to which the guidelines would:
    1. Improve methods for disease prevention;
    2. Improve methods of diagnosis, treatment, and clinical 
management, and thereby benefit a significant number of individuals;
    3. Reduce clinically significant variations among clinicians in the 
particular services and procedures utilized in making diagnoses and 
providing treatment; and
    4. Reduce clinically significant variations in the outcomes of 
health care services and procedures.
    Also, in accordance with Title IX of the PHS Act and section 1142 
of the Social Security Act, the AHCPR Administrator is to assure that 
the needs and priorities of the Medicare program are reflected 
appropriately in the agenda and priorities for development of 
guidelines and guideline updates.

Arrangements for the April 19, 1995 Public Meeting on Colorectal Cancer 
Screening

    Representatives of organizations and other individuals are invited 
to provide relevant written comments and information, and make a brief 
(5 minutes or less) oral statement to the panel. Individuals and 
representatives who would like to attend must register with Michael 
Stolar, Project Manager, American Gastroenterological Association 
(AGA), at the address set out below by April 5, 1995, and indicate 
whether they plan to make an oral statement. A written copy of the oral 
statement, comments, and information should be submitted to AGA by 
April 5, 1995. If more requests to make oral statements are received 
than can be accommodated between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on April 19, 
1995, the chairperson will allocate speaking time in a manner which 
ensures, to the extent possible, that a range of views of health care 
professionals, consumers, product manufacturers, and pharmaceutical 
manufacturers are presented. Those who cannot be granted their 
requested speaking time because of time constraints are assured that 
their written comments will be considered when decisions regarding the 
guideline are made.
    If sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodation 
for a disability is needed, please contact AGA by April 5, 1995, at the 
address below.
    Registration should be made with, and written materials submitted 
to: Michael Stolar, Ph.D., Project Manager, American 
Gastroenterological Association, 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 914, 
Bethesda, Maryland 20814, Phone: (301) 654-2055, Fax: (301) 654-5920.

For Additional Information

    Additional information on the guideline development process is 
contained in the AHCPR Program Note, ``Clinical Practice Guideline 
Development,'' dated August 1993. This document describes AHCPR's 
activities with respect to clinical practice guidelines including the 
process and criteria for selecting panels. This document may be 
obtained from the AHCPR Publications Clearinghouse, [[Page 7204]] P.O. 
Box 8547, Silver Spring, MD 20907; or call Toll-Free: 1-800-358-9295.
    Also, information can be obtained by contacting Douglas B. Kamerow, 
M.D., M.P.H., Director, Office of the Forum for Quality and 
Effectiveness in Health Care, Agency for Health Care Policy and 
Research, Willco Building, 6000 Executive Boulevard, Suite 310, 
Rockville, MD 20852, Phone 301-594-4015, Fax: 301-594-4027.

    Dated: January 30, 1995.
Clifton R. Gaus,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 95-2939 Filed 2-6-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P