What is the purpose of the Evidence Review Committee?
The purpose of the Evidence Review Committee (ERC) is to commission formal systematic reviews when there are one or more questions deemed of utmost clinical importance that merit such review. This systematic review will strive to determine which patients are most likely to benefit from a drug, device, or treatment strategy and to what degree. Criteria for commissioning an ERC and formal systematic review include: a) the absence of a current authoritative systematic review, b) the feasibility of defining the benefit and risk in a time frame consistent with the writing of a guideline, c) the relevance to a substantial number of patients, and d) the likelihood that the findings can be translated into actionable recommendations. ERC members may include methodologists, epidemiologists, healthcare providers, and biostatisticians.