Boston, Mass., September 25, 2014 – The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has posted the draft report “Controversies in Type 2 Diabetes Management,” as well as related voting questions, for public comment. This report will be the subject of deliberation and vote at the next public meeting of the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (CEPAC) on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 in Providence, Rhode Island. This report aims to help members of CEPAC and the public understand the latest evidence on the relative effectiveness and value of various treatment options for individuals with Type 2 diabetes, including new classes of oral and injectable medications, insulin, and medical devices. The report includes a systematic review of published literature as well as budget impact analyses and will be available for public comment until Wednesday, October 22, 2014.

Affecting 30 million Americans and costing an estimated $245 million in 2012 (CDC, 2014), diabetes is one of the nation’s most pressing health concerns. CEPAC’s public deliberation of the evidence will provide clarity and guidance to patients, clinicians, insurers, and policymakers confronted with decisions on how to weigh the relative advantages and risks associated with the various options available for management of type 2 diabetes, and will contribute to formation of policies that support the most effective use of resources to better serve patient needs. The meeting will convene experts and state leaders from across New England to discuss best practice strategies for effectively managing type 2 diabetes while tackling issues related to access, costs, and safety.

Meeting Details
Date: October 29, 2014
Time: 10:00AM-4:00-PM
Location: Brown University,
Petteruti Lounge, Stephen Robert ‘62 Campus Center
75 Waterman Street, Providence, RI 02912

Members of the public wishing to attend the meeting should register here by October 27, 2014. The CEPAC website also includes instructions for those wishing to submit written comments prior to the meeting, and for those requesting the opportunity to make oral comments at the meeting. Written comments on the draft report should be sent to info@icer-review.org before 5:00 PM ET on October 22, 2014. Requests to deliver oral comments during the October 29th meeting should be sent to info@icer-review.org by 5:00 PM ET October 24, 2014. Please note that slots for making a public comment are limited and will be assigned in the order that requests are received.

An audio recording of the October 29th meeting will be made available on the CEPAC website following the meeting for members of the public unable to attend the in-person meeting. A live webinar of the meeting will also be available, details for which will be posted to the CEPAC website in advance of 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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