Call for Topic Nominations for Future EPC Reports by June 7, 2019

What health care decisions are you struggling with? Would a review of the scientific evidence help inform this decision? Share your ideas with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) Program. AHRQ will use these ideas to determine the focus of its evidence reports for next fiscal year (i.e., AHRQ can provide an evidence report at no cost). Your input is important!

Propose your evidence report topics by June 7th at: https://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/submit-a-suggestion-for-research/

The AHRQ EPC Program reviews and summarizes the available evidence on current health care issues, which can help:

Clinicians and policymakers understand the benefits and harms of different tests and treatments;
Health systems and policymakers understand the best options for implementing a new program or intervention; and
Patients make better decisions about their health care options.

If you have any questions, please contact epc@ahrq.hhs.gov

Opportunity to Comment on Draft Reports

We encourage the public to participate in the development of our research projects. Comments can be submitted for:

Diagnosis and Treatment of Clinical Alzheimer’s-type Dementia (CATD): A Systematic Review Available for comment until May 27, 2019

The purpose of the review is to summarize evidence on: (1) the diagnostic accuracy of cognitive tests for Alzheimer’s-type dementia (CATD), and biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD); and (2) the benefits and harms of prescription drugs and supplements for cognition, function, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with CATD.

Comparative Effectiveness of Analgesics to Reduce Acute Pain in the Prehospital Setting
Available for comment until May 31, 2019

The purpose of the review is to evaluate effectiveness and harms of opioids compared to nonopioid analgesics as treatment of moderate to severe acute pain in the prehospital setting.

Opportunity to Comment on Draft Key Questions

We encourage the public to participate in the development of our research projects. Comments can be submitted for:

Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases
Available for comment until May 24, 2019

This systematic review assesses comparative usefulness of prognostic tools and the comparative benefits and harms of different types of radiation treatments for adults with brain metastases.

About us: AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program is committed to providing the best available evidence on the outcomes, benefits and harms, and appropriateness of drugs, devices, and health care services and by helping health care professionals, patients, policymakers, and health care systems make informed health care decisions. The program partners with research centers, academic institutions, health professional societies, consumer organizations, and other stakeholders to conduct research, evidence synthesis, evidence translation, dissemination, and implementation of research findings.

To learn more: https://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov