Greenfield to help set stimulus package health-research priorities

Dr. Sheldon Greenfield, Center for Health Policy Research executive director, has been appointed co-chair of an Institute of Medicine committee that will establish how to spend the $400 million Comparative Effectiveness Research portion of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009. The committee will work with healthcare leaders to prioritize funding for clinical research on new drugs, devices, procedures, imaging and healthcare delivery systems. The committee report, presented to Congress by June 30, will influence long-term strategies for research funding, Greenfield said. “This is the beginning of a process that will provide important information that will improve the ability of doctors and patients to choose the best treatment options,” he said.