government
Comparative effectiveness research funds awarded
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 20, 2013
A research group created by the Affordable Care Act has awarded 51 grants totaling nearly $89 million to fund research that would compare treatment options for a variety of chronic and mental health conditions.
The ACA authorized the nonprofit Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to fund comparative effectiveness studies and provide additional information to clinicians and patients to help them make more informed health care decisions. To date, it has awarded $129.3 million to fund these types of research projects and has committed an additional $30 million toward a series of pilot initiatives.
The research will focus on how best to care for individuals with certain types of cancers; kidney disease; chronic conditions such as obesity, asthma and diabetes; and mental health issues. “Other projects will explore ways to support patient decision-making, reduce specific health disparities and improve health care delivery systems,” according to a statement from PCORI.
The institute also recently announced that it had made $68 million available to engage clinicians and those in other health care sectors to develop a national data network to advance comparative effectiveness research.
