[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 379-380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28870]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality


Solicitation for Nominations for Members of the U.S. Preventive 
Services Task Force (USPSTF)

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.

ACTION: Solicits nominations for new members of the USPSTF.

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SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites 
nominations of individuals qualified to serve as members of the U.S. 
Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

DATES: Nominations must be received electronically by March 15th of a 
given year to be considered for appointment to begin in January of the 
following year.

ADDRESSES: Submit your responses electronically via: https://uspstfnominations.ahrq.gov/register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lydia Hill at (301) 427-1587.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Arrangement for Public Inspection

    Nominations and applications are kept on file at the Center for 
Evidence and Practice Improvement, AHRQ, and are available for review 
during business hours. AHRQ does not reply to individual nominations, 
but considers all nominations in making recommendation for appointment. 
Information regarded as private and personal, such as a nominee's 
social security number, home and email addresses, home telephone and 
fax numbers, or names of family members will not be disclosed to the 
public in accord with the Freedom of Information Act. 5 U.S.C. 
552(b)(6); 45 CFR 5.31(f).

Nomination Submissions

    Nominations must be submitted electronically, and should include:
    1. The applicant's current curriculum vitae and contact 
information, including mailing address, and email address; and
    2. A letter explaining how this individual meets the qualification 
requirements and how he or she would contribute to the USPSTF. The 
letter should also attest to the nominee's willingness to serve as a 
member of the USPSTF.
    AHRQ will later ask people under serious consideration for USPSTF 
membership to provide detailed information that will permit evaluation 
of possible significant conflicts of interest. Such information will 
concern matters such as financial holdings, consultancies, non-
financial scientific interests, and research grants or contracts.
    To obtain a diversity of perspectives, AHRQ particularly encourages 
nominations of women, members of underrepresented populations, and 
persons with disabilities. Interested individuals can nominate 
themselves. Organizations and individuals may nominate one or more 
people qualified for membership on the USPSTF at any time. Individuals 
nominated prior to March 15, 2023, who continue to have interest in 
serving on the USPSTF should be re-nominated.

Qualification Requirements

    To qualify for the USPSTF and support its mission, an applicant or 
nominee should, at a minimum, demonstrate knowledge, expertise, and 
national leadership in the following areas:
    1. The critical evaluation of research published in peer-reviewed 
literature and in the methods of evidence review;
    2. Clinical prevention, health promotion and primary health care; 
and
    3. Implementation of evidence-based recommendations in clinical 
practice including at the clinician-patient level, practice level, and 
health-system level.
    Additionally, the Task Force benefits from members with expertise 
in the following areas:

    [ssquf] Public Health
    [ssquf] Health Equity and The Reduction of Health Disparities
    [ssquf] Application of Science to Health Policy
    [ssquf] Decision modeling
    [ssquf] Dissemination and Implementation
    [ssquf] Behavioral Medicine/Clinical Health Psychology
    [ssquf] Communication of Scientific Findings to Multiple Audiences 
Including Health Care Professionals, Policy Makers, and the General 
Public.

    Candidates with experience and skills in any of these areas should 
highlight them in their nomination materials.
    Applicants must have no substantial conflicts of interest, whether 
financial, professional, or intellectual, that would impair the 
scientific integrity of the work of the USPSTF and must be willing to 
complete regular conflict of interest disclosures.
    Applicants must have the ability to work collaboratively with a 
team of diverse professionals who support the mission of the USPSTF. 
Applicants must have adequate time to contribute substantively to the 
work products of the USPSTF.

Nominee Selection

    Nominated individuals will be selected for the USPSTF on the basis 
of how well they meet the required qualifications and the current 
expertise needs of the USPSTF. It is anticipated that new members will 
be invited to serve on the USPSTF beginning in January, 2025. All 
nominated individuals will be considered; however, strongest 
consideration will be given to individuals with demonstrated training 
and expertise in the areas of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and 
Obstetrics and Gynecology. AHRQ will retain and may consider for future 
vacancies nominations received this year and not selected during this 
cycle.
    Some USPSTF members without primary health care clinical experience 
may be selected based on their expertise in methodological issues such 
as meta-analysis, analytic modeling, or clinical epidemiology. For 
individuals with clinical expertise in primary health care, additional 
qualifications in methodology would enhance their candidacy.

Background

    Under title IX of the Public Health Service Act, AHRQ is charged 
with enhancing the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of 
health care services and access to such services. 42 U.S.C. 299(b). 
AHRQ accomplishes these goals through scientific research and promotion 
of improvements in clinical practice, including clinical prevention of 
diseases and other health conditions. See 42 U.S.C. 299(b).
    The USPSTF, an independent body of experts in prevention and 
evidence-based medicine, works to improve the health of people 
nationwide by making evidence-based recommendations about the 
effectiveness of clinical preventive services and health promotion. The 
recommendations made by the USPSTF address clinical preventive services 
for adults and children, and include screening tests, counseling 
services, and preventive medications.
    The USPSTF was first established in 1984 under the auspices of the 
U.S. Public Health Service. AHRQ provides ongoing scientific, 
administrative, and dissemination support for the USPSTF's operation. 
See 42 U.S.C. 299b-4(a)(3). Members are appointed by the Secretary of 
the U.S. Department of Health and

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Human Services to serve four-year terms. New members are selected each 
year to replace those members who are completing their appointments.
    The USPSTF rigorously evaluates the effectiveness of clinical 
preventive services and formulating or updating recommendations 
regarding the appropriate provision of preventive services. Current 
USPSTF recommendations and associated evidence reviews are available on 
the internet (www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org).
    USPSTF members meet three times a year for two days in the 
Washington, DC area or virtually if necessary. A significant portion of 
the USPSTF's work occurs between meetings during conference calls and 
via email discussions. Member duties include prioritizing topics, 
designing research plans, reviewing and commenting on systematic 
evidence reviews, discussing evidence and making recommendations on 
preventive services, reviewing stakeholder comments, drafting final 
recommendation documents, and participating in workgroups on specific 
topics and methods. Members can expect to receive frequent emails, can 
expect to participate in multiple conference calls each month, and can 
expect to have periodic interaction with stakeholders. AHRQ estimates 
that members devote approximately 250 hours a year outside of in-person 
meetings to their USPSTF duties. The members are all volunteers and do 
not receive any compensation beyond support for travel to attend the 
thrice yearly meetings and trainings.

    Dated: December 27, 2023.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-28870 Filed 1-2-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P