Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NIH Consensus Development Program?
How is this different from other conferences or meetings?
What is an NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement?
Who writes an NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement?
What is the difference between a Consensus Development Conference and a State-of-the-Science Conference?
How frequently does NIH Issue Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement?
How often are the Consensus and State-of-the-Science statements reviewed?
How are NIH Consensus Development or State-of-the-Science Conference topics selected?
Can I suggest a topic?
How do NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statements differ from clinical practice guidelines?
How can I get NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statements and other related information?
How much does it cost to register?
Can my organization sponsor or financially contribute to the conference?
How can the program be independent when it is being run by NIH?
Can I get a DVD of the proceedings?
Is there a period of public comment after the conference?
Can I distribute materials at the conference?
Is the content on the consensus.nih.gov website copyrighted or free to use?
Where can I get the systematic literature review prepared for each conference?
What is the NIH Consensus Development Program?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Program organizes major conferences that produce evidence-based consensus statements addressing controversial issues in medicine important to health care providers, patients, and the general public. NIH Consensus and State-of-the-Science statements are disseminated widely to practitioners, health care policymakers, patients, the general public, and the media. The NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR) has administered the program since its inception in 1977.
How is this different from other conferences or meetings?
Most other scientific and medical conferences rely on content experts to make recommendations; however, this raises the possibility of potential conflicts of interest given the expert's financial and career ties to the topic.
In contrast, the Consensus Development Program conferences are an independent look at the issues from an unbiased panel. In fact, the conferences are run on a "court model." The panel members are like a jury- they have no financial or career interests related to the topic. They are highly regarded in their own fields but are not closely aligned with the subject.
There is an in depth presentation of evidence to the panel. This includes a systematic literature review prepared by one of a network of Evidence-based Practice Centers through a contract with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). In addition, recognized experts on the topic give presentations to the panel and audience. Finally, formal periods of public discussion are held. The panel takes this all into consideration and renders its recommendations in their statement.
What is an NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement?
An NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement is a report evaluating scientific information on a given biomedical or public health intervention with the purpose of resolving a particular controversial issue in clinical practice. Each NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement answers a series of five to six questions concerning efficacy, risk, and clinical applications, and recommends directions for future research.
Who writes an NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement?
NIH Consensus and State-of-the-Science statements are written by broad-based, multidisciplinary, independent panels of nonadvocate individuals knowledgeable in the field of medical or public health science under consideration. The makeup of each panel typically includes research investigators, health care providers, methodologists, and a public representative.
Following 1½ days of scientific presentations and public testimony, the panel convenes in an executive session to write the draft statement. On the third and final day of the conference, the statement is circulated to the conference audience for a dedicated discussion period. The panel then releases a revised statement at the end of the conference. A Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement is not an official policy statement of NIH or the federal government.
What is the difference between a Consensus Development Conference and a State-of-the-Science Conference?
Consensus Development Conferences are typically undertaken where there is a solid body of high-quality evidence (randomized trials, well-designed observational studies) and it is reasonable to expect that the panel will be able to give clinical guidance.
State-of-the-Science Conferences are generally utilized in cases where the evidence base is weaker and the sponsoring NIH Institute or Center (IC) is seeking the panel's opinion on future research priorities.
How frequently does NIH issue Consensus or State-of-the-Science statements?
NIH issues an average of three to five Consensus or State-of-the-Science statements each year.
How often are the Consensus and State-of-the-Science statements reviewed?
The statements are not reviewed once they are released in their final form. It is important to recognize that each Consensus or State-of-the-Science statement reflects an independent panel's assessment of the medical knowledge available at the time the statement was written; as such, it provides a "snapshot in time" of the state of knowledge on the conference topic. In the period following a statement's release, new knowledge is inevitably accumulating through medical research.
For this reason, statements more than five years old are deemed "historical," as information contained in them is likely to be out of date. Historical statements may continue to be useful to the research community as a reference for understanding what was known about a topic at a particular point in time, including whether gaps in research identified at the time of each conference have since been filled. It is for this purpose that historical conference statements will remain available on-line indefinitely, but will no longer be distributed in booklet form by the Consensus Program Information Center.
On rare occasions, a conference topic is revisited, when it is determined that newly available data warrant a second conference and statement on the same or similar subject matter. Examples of this occurring in recent years include Management of Hepatitis C: 2002 and Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC): New Insights, held in 2010.
How are NIH Consensus Development or State-of-the-Science Conference topics selected?
Topics for NIH Consensus Development Conferences address a wide range of subjects and may be suggested by an Institute or Center within NIH, by other government agencies, by Congress, or by the public. The following major criteria must be met for a topic to qualify for the Consensus Development Program:
- The topic must be of broad public health importance or greatly impact an underserved population. The severity of the problem and the feasibility of interventions are key considerations.
- Controversy or unresolved issues can be clarified, or a gap between current knowledge and practice can be narrowed.
- There is an adequately defined base of scientific information from which to answer conference questions, so that the outcome would not depend primarily on subjective judgments of panelists.
When OMAR receives a topic suggestion from outside NIH we contact an appropriate Institute or Center to speak with the person making the suggestion for further consideration. Ultimately it is the decision of the NIH Institute or Center whether to sponsor a given topic.
How do NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statements differ from clinical practice guidelines?
NIH Consensus and State-of-the-Science statements synthesize the available evidence, largely from recent or ongoing medical research, that has implications for reevaluation of routine medical practices. They do not give specific, detailed practice algorithms.
How can I get NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statements and other related information?
NIH Consensus or State-of-the-Science statements and related program materials are available by writing to the NIH Consensus Development Program Information Center, P.O. Box 2577, Kensington, Maryland 20891; by calling toll free 1-888-NIH-CONSENSUS (1-888-644-2667); or at our web site.
How much does it cost to register?
Our conferences are free and open to the public. You can preregister for a conference online at http://consensus.nih.gov. If unable to attend in person, the conference is webcast live and can be accessed both on the days of the conference and in archived format thereafter at http://consensus.nih.gov.
Can my organization sponsor or financially contribute to the conference?
Although we appreciate the offer, in order to keep the conferences independent we cannot accept contributions or sponsorship from non-government entities.
How can the program be independent when it is being run by NIH?
The Office of Medical Applications of Research at NIH conducts the program, however OMAR has no granting or contracting authority with respect to the topics. It is OMAR's job to maintain the integrity of the process. To avoid any potential influence of the sponsoring Institute or Center on the statement, it is kept separated from the panel throughout the process.
Can I get a DVD of the proceedings?
We do not prepare DVDs of the conference, however the conference is webcast live and archived on our site.
Is there a period of public comment after the conference?
No, public comment is closed on the last day of the conference once the panel convenes in its final executive session.
Can I distribute materials at the conference?
We have a table available for participants who want to share materials with other audience members. These are kept separate from any government publications as it is necessary for NIH, as a federal agency, not to appear to endorse any particular product or viewpoint.
Is the content on the consensus.nih.gov website copyrighted or free to use?
Most of the information on our site is in the public domain and can be used without charge or restriction. There are a few exceptions. Copyrighted materials will include a copyright statement. Another item restricted in its use is the NIH logo. Our logo should not be used to suggest we endorse any private organization, product, or service.
Where can I get the systematic literature review prepared for each conference?
The systematic review, which is produced in support of every conference by one of a network of Evidence-based Practice Centers through a contract with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is posted at the AHRQ website on the last day of the conference.
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