About the Center for Evidence-based Policy
Mission
To address public policy challenges by identifying and applying best available evidence through self-governing communities of interest. The Center is a collaboration of academic, private sector and government entities throughout the world with the directive of informing policy through the use of the best available evidence.
Established in 2003 by former Oregon Governor, John Kitzhaber, M.D., (legislator 1979-85, Senate President 1985-93, and Governor 1995-2003) the Center builds on lessons learned from improving public policy in the field of health care through innovation, collaboration, and use of best evidence.
In fulfilling its mission the Center provides assistance in: ·
- Finding research relevant to the needs of decision makers in government, business and nonprofit sectors; ·
- Working with qualified researchers to commission original research that provides evidence-based answers to policy questions; ·
- Pooling resources among like-minded parties interested in using evidence-based research in decision-making; and ·
- Using high quality research in evidence-based decision making processes.
Methodology
The Center continually develops and revises methods to empower elements of government, business, labor, other organizations and citizens at large to become part of social problem-solving processes. We assist in framing the “key questions” that must be addressed for a solution to be reached. This is achieved by reaching out to policymakers, private citizens, non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, labor organizations, philanthropies, researchers and governmental entities through programs in education, training, applied research and technology assessments. Bringing these groups together to build on their similar interests, the Center convenes innovative collaborations among the parties in order to provide participants with the decision-making tools they need to address today’'s ’ difficult policy problems.
Current projects
Attorneys General Consumer and Prescriber Grants Program (CPGP)
Project Summary: The Attorneys General Consumer and Prescriber Grants Program was established through a court settlement on May 13, 2004. Warner-Lambert, a division of Pfizer, Inc., entered into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance/Discontinuance with the Attorneys General of 50 States and the District of Columbia to settle allegations that Warner-Lambert conducted an unlawful marketing campaign for the drug Neurontin® that violated state consumer protection laws. The settlement provided for a $21 million Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant program to be administered by a Special Committee of State Attorneys General pursuant to an Oregon Court Order and an Attorney General Memorandum of Understanding. CPGP funds programs designed to provide health care professionals and consumers information relating to prescription drugs, including the way in which drugs are marketed.
Grants were made in several rounds with the goals of: 1) Educating health professionals at all levels of training about the drug development and approval process; 2) Making health professionals aware of pharmaceutical industry marketing practices and assisting them in developing the knowledge and skills to evaluate those marketing techniques; 3) Providing examples and strategies for evaluating existing sources of drug information, and for accessing unbiased sources of information about drugs, and 4) To improve the clinical and economic value of prescription drugs by educating consumers about sound purchasing concepts, reliable sources of prescription drug information and marketing practices of the pharmaceutical industry.
For additional information on this project please click here.
Drug Effectiveness Review Project (DERP)
Project Summary: The Drug Effectiveness Review Project (DERP) is a collaboration of organizations that have joined together to obtain the best available evidence on effectiveness and safety comparisons between drugs in the same class, and to apply the information to public policy and decision making in local settings. Initially established in 2003 as a three year project, DERP has grown to a second phase that is currently contracted through June 2009.
Current DERP participating organizations include: Arkansas, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, · Idaho,·Kansas, Oregon, Michigan, Minnesota,·Missouri, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
The collaborative utilizes a self-governing process in which each organization is equally represented. The drug classes to be studied, key questions, timelines and final approval of draft reports are all determined by the DERP participants through this self-governance process. Each participating organization contributes an equal amount to the financing of the DERP. The DERP product is a series of comprehensive, updated and unbiased systematic reviews conducted by Evidence Based Practice Centers (EPC) with oversight and coordination from the Oregon EPC.
For more information on this project please click here.
Medicaid Evidence-based Decision Making Project (MED)
Project Summary: The Medicaid Evidence-based Decisions Project (MED) is a powerful collaboration among state Medicaid programs that provides high quality clinical evidence to support benefit design and coverage decisions. Established in 2006, the MED project is a self-governing collaboration of state Medicaid programs across the U.S. The project was developed as a response to the need for high quality evidence to support benefit design and coverage decisions. Due to the self-governing nature of MED, focus remains on the issues of greatest importance to Medicaid agencies and the populations they cover. The MED project offers participants a level of information, consultation, policy implementation assistance and collaboration not available elsewhere, The project provides participants with a unique set of sophisticated resources designed to assist states in achieving better healthcare for Medicaid recipients and improved available resources. MED participants have access to high quality, highly relevant evidence, training and educational opportunities for participants and staff within their agencies, and access to peer discussion in a safe and developmental forum.
Project Components include: ·
- Clinical Evidence Reports & research on specific topic areas of concern to participating organizations ·
- Web-based information Clearinghouse tool to communicate policy information, new, research, evidence reports and engage in online discussions and postings with other participants ·
- Technology assessments of medical devices and durable equipment ·
- Monthly governance conference calls ·
- Monthly open forum teleconferences ·
- Bi-annual governance conferences to meet and network with Medicaid Directors, Medicaid Medical Directors and colleagues from other states.
For additional information on this project please click here.