Boston, Mass., July 2, 2014  The New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (CEPAC), a core program of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), announced that it will hold a public meeting to assess the comparative effectiveness and value of management options for individuals with type 2 diabetes on October 29, 2014, in Providence, Rhode Island.  CEPAC’s public deliberation of the evidence will provide clarity and guidance to patients, clinicians, insurers, and policymakers confronted with decisions on how best to manage type 2 diabetes.

Approximately 30 million Americans have diabetes, of which 95% have the type 2 form. In 2012, the annual cost of managing diabetes was estimated to total $245 billion, including both direct medical costs as well as lost productivity resulting from complications (CDC, 2014).  Numerous methods for treating and managing diabetes are available, including devices for blood glucose monitoring, oral medications, and various types of insulin. Insulin use has increased among individuals with type 2 diabetes, with many patients relying on newer, more costly types of insulin (Lipska et al., 2014). Additionally, supplies and equipment for self-monitoring of blood glucose have become increasingly expensive.  The New England CEPAC process will address important questions regarding the comparative effectiveness and comparative value of the different treatment approaches and new management strategies.

Meeting Details
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI

Members of the public wishing to attend the meeting must register by noon on October 28, 2014 by visiting here. The draft evidence report that will form the basis of the CEPAC meeting will be posted to the CEPAC website on or about September 22, 2014. The CEPAC website also includes instructions for those wishing to submit written comments on the draft report ahead of time, and those requesting the opportunity to make public comments at the meeting.

About 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. Backed from a consortium of New England state health policy leaders, CEPAC holds public meetings to consider evidence reviews of a range of topics, including clinical interventions and models for care delivery, and provide judgments regarding how the evidence can best be used across New England to improve the quality and value of health care services.  ICER manages the day-to-day operations of CEPAC as one of its core programs meant to translate and implement existing evidence reviews to improve their usefulness for patients, clinicians, and payers.  For more information about CEPAC, please visit cepac.icer-review.org.

About ICER
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is an independent non-profit health care research organization dedicated to improving the interpretation and application of evidence in the health care system. ICER directs two core programs: the California Technology Assessment Forum (CTAF), and the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (CEPAC). For more information about ICER, please visit ICER’s website, www.icer-review.org.

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