U.S. launching $1.1 billion study of which medical therapies work

Gaps in medical knowledge are getting new attention as the federal government prepares to invest $1.1 billion in "comparative effectiveness" research and evaluate potential therapies head-to-head. The Institute of Medicine is reviewing priorities for this type of research and preparing to issue recommendations this summer. A new 15-member panel overseeing the government's initiative has been asking for public input. The hope is that by identifying which treatments are most effective, doctors and patients will make better-informed decisions and avoid therapies that don't measure up.