Table 2.

Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee: Desirable Characteristics for a Drug Compendium

Extensive breadth of listing Quick throughput from application for inclusion to listing Detailed description of the evidence reviewed for every individual listing Use of prespecified published criteria for weighing evidence Use of prescribed published process for making recommendations Publicly transparent process for evaluating therapies Explicit “not recommended” listing when validated evidence is appropriate Explicit listing and recommendations regarding therapies, including sequential use or combination in relation to other therapies Explicit “equivocal” listing when validated evidence is equivocal Process for public identification and notification of potential conflicts of interest of the compendia's parent and sibling organizations, reviewers, and committee members, with an established procedure to manage recognized conflicts

3/30/2006–Compendia for coverage of off-label uses of drugs and biologicals in an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic regimen. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/viewmcac.asp?where=whatsnew&mid=33#agenda.