Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, systematic reviews of existing research on the effectiveness, comparative effectiveness, and comparative harms of different health care interventions, are intended to provide relevant evidence to inform real-world health care decisions for patients, providers, and policymakers.

An important part of these reviews is to not only synthesize the evidence, but also to identify the gaps in evidence that limited the ability to answer the systematic review questions. As part of a new effort in 2010, AHRQ supports EPCs to work with various stakeholders to further develop and prioritize the future research needed by decisionmakers.

This collection of Future Research Needs projects is intended to be used by researchers and funders of research to help improve the body of comparative effectiveness evidence that would be useful for decisionmakers.

Because this collection is new and there is no previous established methodology, two concurrent strategies will be employed:

• The EPCs will pilot various methods for identifying and prioritizing evidence needs within certain topic areas. Published abstracts of the pilot studies can be accessed in the right navigation. Abstracts in development are listed below.
• Research on various methodologic issues will complement these experiences and inform eventual guidance on approaches to determine and prioritize future research needs. To view the abstracts on various methodological issues, please see Future Research Needs – Methods Research Series.

Future Research Needs projects will be posted on this Web site and available for public comment for approximately 4 weeks. Comments will be reviewed and considered for incorporation into an updated report. If you would like to be notified of the publication of the Future Research Needs reports, please Join our E-mail List.

Comments and suggestions on the Future Research Needs projects can be made at Contact the Effective Health Care Program. Please include the title of the project in the comments box.

Future Research Needs Projects

Prioritizing Research Needs in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. View final report.

Integration of Mental Health/Substance Abuse and Primary Care. View final report.

Reducing the Risk of Primary Breast Cancer. View final report.

Outcomes of Maternal Weight Gain. View final report.

Treatments of Common Hip Fractures. View final report.

Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer. View final report.

Comparative Effectiveness of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers Added to Standard Medical Therapy for Treating Stable Ischemic Heart Disease. View final report.

Comparative Effectiveness of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for Patients with Coronary Artery Disease. View final report.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Effectiveness of Treatment in At-Risk Preschoolers; Long-Term Effectiveness in All Ages; and Variability in Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Treatment. View final report.

Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation in the Pediatric Population. View final report.

Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. View the final report.

Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. View final report.

First- and Second- Generation Antipsychotics for Children and Young Adults. View final report.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs), Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists (ARBs), or Direct Renin Inhibitors (DRIs) for Treating Hypertension. View final report.