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How Can Comparative Effectiveness Research Improve the Quality of U.S. Health Care?
When deciding between one treatment option and another, doctors and patients often lack proven information about what works and what doesn't. Research has suggested that as much as 30 percent of health care spending may be wasted on care that does not improve health.
Comparative effectiveness research aims to address this situation by developing and disseminating research finding about how one treatment compares with others. While the field enjoys broad support, some fear that this research could be used as justification for cuts in health coverage.
- Health care providers and patients often lack information about which treatments are most effective.
- Much of the health care delivered today is not based on rigorous scientific evidence.
- The field of comparative effectiveness research (CER) explores which treatment options are most likely to work. Congress recently expanded funding for CER.