The national medical effectiveness research initiative. The search for what really works in treating common clinical conditions.

Abstract

In 1989, Congress established the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research within the U.S. Public Health Service and gave it the lead in a national effort to produce reliable evidence of which medical treatments are effective and which are not. The research program addresses the effectiveness of different available strategies for diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and management of common conditions, including diabetes, and emphasizes outcomes that matter to patients. The modest size of this program and the eagerness for its results have led to the development and use of innovative research methods. Illustrations of these methods and early findings are provided.