At a time of tension between vigorous innovation and increasing costs in health care, health care decision makers require comprehensive evidence of the value of new drugs, devices, procedures, and biologics.  Policy makers and proponents of health care system reform thus routinely argue that simultaneously meeting the goals of sustained innovation, cost control, and improved quality within the health care system will require more explicit appraisal of the clinical effectiveness and comparative value of new and existing interventions. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) was created to fill this evidence gap.

ICER is seeking nominations of clinicians and patient or public representatives to serve on the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (CEPAC). CEPAC is a regional body whose goal is to provide objective, independent guidance on the application of medical evidence to clinical practice and payer policy decisions across New England. Supported by a federal grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and with backing from a consortium of New England state health policy leaders, CEPAC holds two public meetings a year to consider evidence reviews of medical tests and treatments and provide judgments regarding how the evidence can best be used across New England to improve the quality and value of health care services.  Council members are reimbursed for travel and receive a modest honoraria.  The nomination period is now open and will close on February 17, 2012.   Nominations are being accepted online.

ICER, in collaboration with the Alliance for Appropriate and Affordable Healthcare, has launched a web-based patient decision aid to help low-risk prostate cancer patients understand the management options available for the condition.  The website is a community tool that translates ICER's comparative effectiveness research into patient-friendly information.