Stimulus law provides funds for "comparative effectiveness research"

One of the provisions of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009'," signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 17, 2009, that has received a lot of often negative attention in some parts of the media relates to "comparative effectiveness research."

The law appropriates $700 million to the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research within HHS to carry out provisions of titles III and IX of the Public Health Service Act, part A of title XI of the Social Security Act, and section 1013 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. In addition, $400 million is appropriated for comparative effectiveness research to be allocated at the discretion of the Secretary of HHS.

The money is designated to be used to accelerate the development and dissemination of research assessing the comparative effectiveness of health care treatments and strategies, through efforts that: (1) conduct, support, or synthesize research that compares the clinical outcomes, effectiveness, and appropriateness of items, services, and procedures that are used to prevent, diagnose, or treat diseases, disorders, and other health conditions; and (2) encourage the development and use of clinical registries, clinical data networks, and other forms of electronic health data that can be used to generate or obtain outcomes data.

The Institute of Medicine is designated to prepare a report for Congress by June 30, 2009, that includes recommendations on the national priorities for comparative effectiveness research to be conducted or supported; the report must consider input from stakeholders.

The law also establishes a Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research charged with fostering foster "optimum coordination of comparative effectiveness and related health services research conducted or supported by relevant federal departments and agencies, with the goal of reducing duplicative efforts and encouraging coordinated and complementary use of resources."