About the Office of Scientific Evidence and Recommendations

Key points

The Office of Scientific Evidence and Recommendations (OSER) Guidelines Team maintains evidence-based practices to promote innovation and advance health equity. OSER builds and maintains partnerships to protect population health through the Community Guide program.

What we do

The Office of Scientific Evidence and Recommendations (OSER) is comprised of the Community Guide Program and the Guidelines Team.

The primary functions of OSER are to:

  • Provide standards for evidence-based recommendations and guidelines.
  • Build and maintain partnerships.
  • Support CDC capacity building on evidence synthesis.
  • Promote innovation.
  • Advance health equity.

The Community Guide Program supports the efforts of the nonfederal, independent Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) and maintains The Community Guide.

The Guidelines Team supports the development, quality assurance, and clearance of CDC's evidence-based clinical and public health guidelines.

Community Guide Program

For more than 25 years, communities searching for what works to protect and improve their population's health have turned to The Community Guide, a collection of evidence-based recommendations and findings from the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF). The Community Guide Program within the Office of Science at CDC provides ongoing administrative, research, and technical support to CPSTF (42 U.S.C.A. § 280g-10).

Program planners and other decision makers may consider using CPSTF recommendations early in program planning to save time and money when researching evidence-based interventions. Researchers and funding organizations can also use evidence gaps and insufficient evidence findings to prioritize areas for research.

About CPSTF

  • CPSTF is an independent, non-federal panel of public health and prevention experts appointed by the CDC director.
  • Members are supported by 32 liaison organizations that help dissemination of CPSTF recommendations to their members and constituents.

Guidelines team

Guidelines developed by CDC experts must be evidence-based, clear, valid, and reliable. OSER guidelines staff ensure CDC produces guidelines of the highest quality science and impact by:

  • Developing agency quality standards and processes for guidelines.
  • Delivering training to CDC staff who develop and review agency guidelines.
  • Providing consultation and feedback during guideline development.
  • Managing a community of practice so CDC staff can learn from each other and provide input to improve agency policy and procedures.
  • Coordinating and collaborating with other national and international partners responsible for clinical and public health guidelines.

Sources:

Standards Required for the Development of CDC Evidence-Based Guidelines | MMWR