RNC Accidentally Claims President Bush Rationed Health Care
On February 2, 2010, the Republican National Committee's Research Department claimed President Obama's budget "buried" $286 million comparative effectiveness research, "otherwise known as rationing." In reality, comparative effectiveness research is in no way rationing, and under President Bush, the government spent $335 million on CER.
RNC Hits President Obama For Funding Comparative Effectiveness Research
RNC Research Tweet:
[RNC Research Tweet, 2/2/10]
Who Else Funded Comparative Effectiveness Research? President Bush
NIH Had A Budget Of $335 Million For Comparative Effectiveness Research Under President Bush. According to Steven Pearlstein of the Washington Post, "there's nothing particularly new about comparative effectiveness research -- the National Institutes of Health, along with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, have been doing it for years, with a budget last year of about $335 million." [Washington Post, 2/13/09]
Comparative Effectiveness Research Is Not Rationing
Comparative Effectiveness Research council will simply evaluate treatments, NOT "approve" or "recommend" clinical treatments.
Council "Will Not Recommend Clinical Guidelines." The published guidelines for the Council are very clear about the decisions its members will make: The Federal Coordinating Council For Comparative Effectiveness Research "will not recommend clinical guidelines for payment, coverage or treatment." [HHS.gov, 3/19/09, emphasis added]
Comparative Effectiveness Research Is The Comparison Of Medical Treatments. According to the Washington Post's Steven Pearlstein, "comparative effectiveness research" refers to "research done by doctors and statisticians who troll through large number of patient records to determine, for any particular disease, which treatments work best." [Washington Post, 2/13/09]
CER Supplements Physicians' Knowledge To Ensure The Best Treatment Is Provided To The Patient. David Dale, MD of the American College of Physicians, testified in a House Ways and Means Committee hearing: "The availability of valid, comparative effectiveness data supplemented by the physician's clinical experience and professional knowledge, helps ensure that an effective treatment choice is made-one that meets the unique needs and preferences of the patient." [American College Of Physicians' Statement for the Record, 6/12/07]
