Stakeholder Input in Formulating the Research Protocol

Stakeholders, including Key Informants and Technical Experts, participated in a virtual workshop by PCORI in December 2016 to help formulate the research protocol. Details on the virtual workshop, including a list of participants, can be found at https://www.pcori.org/events/2016/updating-systematic-reviews-pcori-virtual-multi-stakeholder-workshop-drug-therapy.

Key Informants in the workshop included end users of research, such as patients and caregivers, practicing clinicians, relevant professional and consumer organizations, purchasers of health care, and others with experience in making health care decisions. Technical Experts in the workshop included multidisciplinary groups of clinical, content, and methodological experts who provided input in defining populations, interventions, comparisons, and outcomes, and identified particular studies or databases to search. They were selected to provide broad expertise and perspectives specific to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

During the virtual workshop, stakeholders reviewed scoping for the updated review, prioritized Key Questions, and discussed where the evidence base has accumulated since the prior review, as well as emerging issues in RA. Based upon findings from the workshop, the RA protocol was developed by the EPC with guidance from PCORI and AHRQ.

Key Informants and Technical Experts did not do analysis of any kind or contribute to the writing of this draft report. They will be given the opportunity to review the report through the peer or public review mechanisms.

Peer Reviewers

Prior to publication of the final evidence report, EPCs sought input from independent Peer Reviewers without financial conflicts of interest. However, the conclusions and synthesis of the scientific literature presented in this report does not necessarily represent the views of individual reviewers.

Peer Reviewers must disclose any financial conflicts of interest greater than $10,000 and any other relevant business or professional conflicts of interest. Because of their unique clinical or content expertise, individuals with potential non-financial conflicts may be retained. The TOO and the EPC work to balance, manage, or mitigate any potential non-financial conflicts of interest identified.

The list of Peer Reviewers follows:

• Joan M. Bathon, M.D.
  Director, Division of Rheumatology
  New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
  New York, NY

• Rongwei (Rochelle) Fu, Ph.D.
  Director, Biostatistics Education Program – School of Public Health
  Oregon Health Sciences University
  Portland, OR

• Suzanne Schrandt, J.D.
  Director, Patient Engagement
  Arthritis Foundation
  Atlanta, GA

• Jasvinder Singh, M.D., M.P.H.
  Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology
  University of Alabama at Birmingham
  Birmingham, AL