opinion
Specialty societies best equipped to judge comparative effectiveness
Posted Aug. 16, 2010
Regarding: "Comparative effectiveness efforts expanding but still raising concerns" (link): The creation of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute is redundant and therefore unnecessary. Specialty societies, made up of experts in the field, are best suited to address comparative effectiveness issues. For example, we oncologists have National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines.
Furthermore, taxpayer funds (in the millions) for such an endeavor will be diverted away from where they would be used best: patient care.
Thomas Reid, MD, Conway, Ark.
Editor's note: The article cited appeared in our online edition only.
The print version of this content appeared in the link issue of American Medical News.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/08/16/edlt0816.htm.












