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Foster Demands Open Access to Health Care Guidelines

July 26, 2018

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) demanded that the Department of Health and Human Services re-open a database of up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines on how best to diagnose, treat, and prevent over 1,000 medical conditions or diseases. Foster and 46 Democratic Members of Congress sent a letter to express their concern over reports that the Department of Health and Human Services shut down the database. The National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) and Guideline.gov filled a unique role in fulfilling its mission to provide health care professionals with objective guidelines on everything from preventing strokes to screening for cancer to caring for patients with HIV.

"I am deeply concerned about the decision to close this database. Americans deserve an efficient health care system that is able to give providers the information they need to make accurate and reliable recommendations," Foster said. "I strongly encourage the Department of Health and Human Services to reverse this decision immediately so that patients can receive the best care possible. Without this database, there's a real risk that doctors would not have the direct access to the most up to date information, and hardworking Americans will suffer as a result."

A copy of the letter is available here.

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