The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has just issued their Draft National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda (PDF, 668KB) and announced a public comment period that ends on March 15. The Institute has proposed five priorities for the comparative clinical effectiveness research agenda: comparative assessments of prevention, diagnosis and treatment options; improving healthcare systems; communication and dissemination; addressing disparities; and accelerating patient-centered and methodological research. In addition to collecting input on their website, PCORI will obtain feedback on the draft via forums, focus groups and a National Patient and Stakeholder Dialogue next month, accessible by teleconference and webcast.

This announcement comes on the heels of a Request for Information issued earlier this month, seeking input on the PCORI Methodology Committee’s Draft Translation Table Framework, a framework for assessing research design that is expected to guide the Institute’s future decisions for soliciting and funding comparative effectiveness studies. The draft framework incorporates such factors as internal and external validity, precision, heterogeneity of risks/benefits across subgroups, ethical considerations, time urgency, logistical constraints and data availability. The Institute seeks comments on the adequacy of these factors, suggestions for alternative factors or frameworks, and discussion of how these factors apply in different research domains. Respondents are encouraged to provide examples or case studies. Comments on the Methodology Committee’s draft framework are due on February 17.