Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 1997 / Notices 63345

mid-year and available indicators point

to further sizable gains in coming

months. After narrowing somewhat in

the second quarter, the nominal deficit

on U.S. trade in goods and services

widened substantially in July. Inventory

investment in July was well below the

average pace in prior months of 1997.

Price inflation has remained subdued

and increases in labor compensation

have been moderate in recent months.

Most market interest rates are about

unchanged on balance since the day

before the Committee meeting on

August 19, 1997. Share prices in equity

markets have increased considerably

over the period, with some stock price

indexes reaching new highs. In foreign

exchange markets, the trade-weighted

value of the dollar in terms of the other

G-10 currencies declined somewhat on

balance over the intermeeting period.

Growth of M2 appears to have

moderated somewhat in September from

a very rapid pace in August, while

expansion of M3 remained very strong

in both months. For the year through

August, M2 expanded at a rate

somewhat above the upper bound of its

range for the year and M3 at a rate

substantially above the upper bound of

its range. Total domestic nonfinancial

debt has continued to expand in recent

months at a pace near the middle of its

range.

The Federal Open Market Committee

seeks monetary and financial conditions

that will foster price stability and

promote sustainable growth in output.

In furtherance of these objectives, the

Committee at its meeting in July

reaffirmed the ranges it had established

in February for growth of M2 and M3 of

1 to 5 percent and 2 to 6 percent

respectively, measured from the fourth

quarter of 1996 to the fourth quarter of

1997. The range for growth of total

domestic nonfinancial debt was

maintained at 3 to 7 percent for the year.

For 1998, the Committee agreed on a

tentative basis to set the same ranges as

in 1997 for growth of the monetary

aggregates and debt, measured from the

fourth quarter of 1997 to the fourth

quarter of 1998. The behavior of the

monetary aggregates will continue to be

evaluated in the light of progress toward

price level stability, movements in their

velocities, and developments in the

economy and financial markets.

In the implementation of policy for

the immediate future, the Committee

seeks conditions in reserve markets

consistent with maintaining the federal

funds rate at an average of around 5-1/

2 percent. In the context of the

Committee’s long-run objectives for

price stability and sustainable economic

growth, and giving careful consideration

to economic, financial, and monetary

developments, a somewhat higher

federal funds rate would or a slightly

lower federal funds rate might be

acceptable in the intermeeting period.

The contemplated reserve conditions

are expected to be consistent with some

moderation in the growth of M2 and M3

over coming months.

By order of the Federal Open Market

Committee, November 20, 1997.

Donald L. Kohn,

Secretary, Federal Open Market Committee.

[FR Doc. 97–31206 Filed 11-26-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6210-01-F

FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT

INVESTMENT BOARD

Sunshine Act Meeting

TIME AND DATE: 10:00 a.m. (EST),

December 8, 1997.

PLACE: 4th Floor, Conference Room

4506, 1250 H Street, NW., Washington,

DC.

STATUS: Open.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED:

1. Approval of the minutes of the

November 10, 1997, Board member

meeting.

2. Thrift Savings Plan activity report by

the Executive Director.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Thomas J. Trabucco, Director, Office of

External Affairs, (202) 942–1640.

Dated: November 25, 1997.

Roger W. Mehle,

Executive Director, Federal Retirement Thrift

Investment Board.

[FR Doc. 97–31460 Filed 11–25–97; 2:53 pm]

BILLING CODE 6760–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Health Care Policy and

Research

Nominations of Topics for EvidenceBased Practice Centers (EPCs)

The Agency for Health Care Policy

and Research (AHCPR) invites a second

round of nominations of topics for

evidence reports on the prevention,

diagnosis, treatment, and management

of common diseases and clinical

conditions, and where appropriate, the

use of alternative/complementary

therapies, and for technology

assessments of specific medical

procedures or health care technologies.

AHCPR’s first request for topic

nominations was published in the

Federal Register on December 23, 1996

(61 FR 67554–67556).

AHCPR serves as a science partner

with private-sector and other public

organizations in their efforts to improve

the quality, effectiveness, and

appropriateness of health care delivery

in the United States, and to speed the

translation of evidence-based research

findings into improved clinical care.

AHCPR supports Evidence-based

Practice Centers (EPCs) to undertake

scientific analyses and evidence

syntheses on high-priority topics. The

EPCs produce science syntheses—

evidence reports and technology

assessments—that provide the scientific

foundation for public and private

organizations to use in developing and

implementing their own practice

guidelines, performance measures, and

other tools to improve the quality of

health care and make decisions related

to the effectiveness or appropriateness

of specific health care technologies.

As a result of nominations received in

response to AHCPR’s December 1996

Federal Register notice, EPCs are

developing an evidence report or a

technology assessment on the following

topics: (1) Testosterone suppression

treatment of prostatic cancer; (2)

evaluation of cervical cytology; (3)

diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia/

swallowing problems in the elderly; (4)

evaluation and treatment of new onset

of atrial fibrillation in the elderly; (5)

diagnosis of sleep apnea; (6) treatment

of attention deficit and hyperactivity

disorder; (7) diagnosis and treatment of

acute sinusitis; (8) rehabilitation of

persons with traumatic brain injury; (9)

prevention and management of urinary

complications in paralyzed persons; (10)

pharmacotherapy for alcohol

dependence; (11) management of stable

angina; and (12) treatment of depression

with new drugs.

The process that AHCPR employs to

select topics for analyses by the EPCs is

described below.

Background

Under Title IX of the Public Health

Service Act, AHCPR is charged with

enhancing the quality, appropriateness,

and effectiveness of health care services

and access to such services. AHCPR

accomplishes these goals through

scientific research and through

promotion of improvements in clinical

practice (including the prevention of

diseases and other health conditions)

and improvements in the organization,

financing, and delivery of health care

services (42 U.S.C. 299–299c–6 and

1320b–12). In carrying out these

purposes, AHCPR, among other

activities, has, in the past, arranged for
63346 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 229 / Friday, November 28, 1997 / Notices

the development of clinical practice

guidelines and has conducted

assessments of health care technologies.

Through the creation of EPCs, AHCPR

is better able to serve as a science

partner with private-sector and other

public organizations in addressing a

greater number of health care topics and

a broader range of clinical conditions

and health problems. The EPCs provide

a strong scientific foundation for private

and public organizations to use in their

own efforts to improve clinical practice.

The EPCs conduct literature reviews

and assess and synthesize scientific

evidence to produce evidence reports

and technology assessments. The

reports and assessments will provide

systems of care, provider societies,

health plans, public and private

purchasers, States, and others with a

scientific foundation for development

and implementation of their own

practice guidelines, clinical pathways,

review criteria, performance measures,

and other tools to improve the quality

of care in their own settings and

populations. They may also be used to

inform health care decisions, such as

coverage or reimbursement policy,

based on the effectiveness or

appropriateness of specific services,

procedures, or technologies.

Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs)

The EPCs prepare evidence reports

and technology assessments on topics

for which there is significant demand by

health care providers, insurers,

purchasers, health-related societies, and

consumer organizations. Such topics

may include the prevention, diagnosis

and/or treatment of particular diseases

or health conditions including, where

appropriate, the use of alternative/

complementary therapies, as well as the

appropriate use of more commonly

provided services, procedures, or

technologies. AHCPR will widely

disseminate the evidence reports and

technology assessments produced by the

EPCs.

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria for AHCPR evidence

report and technology assessment topics

include: (1) High incidence or

prevalence in the general population or

in subpopulations, including racial and

ethnic minorities and other populations;

(2) significance for the needs of the

Medicare, Medicaid and other Federal

health programs; (3) high costs

associated with a condition, procedure,

treatment, or technology, whether due

to the number of people needing care,

high unit cost of care, or high indirect

costs; (4) controversy or uncertainty

about the effectiveness or relative

effectiveness of available clinical

strategies or technologies; (5) potential

to inform and improve patient or

provider decisionmaking; (6) potential

to reduce clinically significant

variations in the prevention, diagnosis,

treatment, or clinical management of a

disease or condition, or in the use of a

procedure or technology, or in the

health outcomes achieved; (7)

availability of scientific data to support

the study or analysis of the topic; and

(8) potential opportunities for rapid

implementation. The topics selected

also will complement AHCPR’s efforts

to build a balanced portfolio of evidence

reports and technology assessments.

Nomination and Selection Process

Nominations of topics for AHCPR

evidence reports and technology

assessments should focus on specific

aspects of prevention, diagnosis,

treatment and/or management of a

particular condition, or on an individual

procedure, treatment, or technology.

Potential topics should be carefully

defined and circumscribed so that

within 6 to 12 months databases can be

searched, the evidence reviewed,

supplemental analyses performed, and

final evidence reports or technology

assessments produced. Topics selected

will not duplicate current and widely

available clinical practice guidelines or

technology assessments, unless new

evidence is available that suggests the

need for revisions or updates.

Nominations should be brief (1–2

pages) and may be in the form of a

letter. For each topic nominated,

nominators should provide a rationale

and any available supporting evidence

reflecting the importance and clinical

relevance of the topic and should

indicate the potential usefulness of the

evidence report or technology

assessment within their professional

practices or organizations. Information

should include:

• A clearly defined topic, with

specific questions to be answered that

will establish the focus and boundaries

of the report.

• The availability of data to study

and, if available, any information on the

incidence, prevalence, and/or severity

of the particular disease or health

condition including, if relevant, its

significance for the Medicare and

medicaid populations; or the frequency

of use and cost of the procedure,

treatment, or technology; an indication

of how the evidence report or

assessment might be used within the

nominator’s professional or

organizational setting; and any known

currently available technology

assessments, practice guidelines,

disease management protocols, or other

tools or standards pertaining to the topic

and their deficiencies, if any.

• References to significant

differences in practice patterns and/or

results; alternative therapies and

controversies.

Nominators of selected topics may

have the opportunity to serve as

resources to EPCs as they develop

evidence reports and technology

assessments. Nominators may also be

requested to serve as peer reviewers of

draft evidence reports and assessments.

The AHCPR will review topic

nominations and supporting

information and determine final topics,

seeking additional information as

appropriate.

Materials Submission and Deadline

To be considered for the next group

of evidence reports and technology

assessments, topic nominations should

be submitted by January 30, 1998 to:

Douglas B. Kamerow, M.D., M.P.H.,

Director, Center for Practice and

Technology Assessment, Agency for

Health Care Policy and Research, 6000

Executive Boulevard, Willco Building,

Suite 310, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

Nominations also will be accepted on

an ongoing basis at the above address

for topics for subsequent evidence

reports and technology assessments.

All responses will be available for

public inspection at the Center for

Practice and Technology Assessment,

telephone (301) 594–4015, weekdays

between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. AHCPR

will not reply to individual responses,

but will consider all nominations in

selecting topics. Topics selected will be

announced, from time to time, in the

Federal Register and AHCPR press

releases.

For Additional Information

Additional information about topic

nominations can be obtained by

contacting: Jacqueline Besteman, EPC

Project Officer, Center for Practice and

Technology Assessment, Agency for

Health Care Policy and Research, 6000

Executive Boulevard, Willco Building,

Suite 310, Rockville, Maryland 20852;

telephone (301) 594–4015; E-mail

address: jbestema@ahcpr.gov.

Dated: November 21, 1997.

John M. Eisenberg,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–31205 Filed 11–26–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M