Be an Advocate for Prevention — Help build support for legislation making improvements to the US Preventive Services Task Force Guidelines (USPSTF) Setting Processes.
Determining evidence-based screening guidelines for individuals and providers is a critical part of cancer prevention. Many professional and voluntary health organizations have rigorous guideline setting processes within their area of expertise and develop and review screening recommendations regularly to keep pace with the changing medical and scientific landscapes.
There is also a Federal entity that makes recommendations on health screening, the United States Preventive Services Task Force. Recent recommendations from the USPSTF regarding several types of cancers have caused concern among medical professionals and confusion in the public. As a result, some Members of Congress and the Administration have been looking closely at USPSTF processes.
The Prevent Cancer Foundation is working with partners in the non-profit and professional communities to increase support for HR 5998, the USPSTF Transparency and Accountability Act of 2012. This bill, introduced in Congress by Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (TN – 7th) and Congressman John Barrow (GA – 12th) mandates changes to USPSTF guideline setting processes. The bill would guarantee that the Task Force includes relevant stakeholders from appropriate medical, patient, and manufacturing communities, require research plans, opportunities for stakeholder comment through all steps of the process, and transparency.
The Prevent Cancer Foundation has endorsed HR 5998 and would encourage you to learn more about the legislation and then ask you representatives in Congress to support this important legislation by adding their names as cosponsors. USPSTF recommendations are often used as benchmarks in determining access and coverage to cancer screenings, making it critical that the processes include expertise and transparency.
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