Pediatricians and the US Preventive Services Task Force: A Natural Partnership to Enhance the Health of Children

Abstract

In this issue of Pediatrics , readers will find the recommendation of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) that all newborns be screened for hearing loss1; readers will also find a concise version of the systematic evidence report that was commissioned to help develop this recommendation.2 Over the last several years, Pediatrics has published 5 recommendations relevant to children from the USPSTF3–7 and plans to publish additional recommendations as they are released. Because many pediatricians know very little about the USPSTF,8 we would like to use this commentary to inform readers about this task force: what it is, who is involved, how it works, and what readers can expect from these publications. The USPSTF is an independent panel charged by the US Congress to review the scientific evidence for clinical preventive services and develop evidence-based recommendations for the health care community. It was first convened by the US Public Health Service in 1984 and, since 1998, has been sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The USPSTF comprises 16 private-sector experts in prevention and primary care, representing primary care specialties and nursing, who serve for terms of 4 to 6 years. Members of the USPSTF are nominated by federal agencies, partner organizations (such as the American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP]), and individuals in response to an announcement in the Federal Register . Members are chosen for their ability to make rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive medications, and synthesize these assessments into recommendations. Throughout its existence, the task force has had at least 2 pediatricians, as well as other pediatric health care providers, among its members. Currently, 3 of its 16 … Address correspondence to Virginia A. Moyer, MD, MPH, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 6621 Fannin St, #1540, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: moyer{at}bcm.edu