The primary focus of the EGAPP Project is an independent, non-federal Working Group established in April, 2005. The Working Group is currently composed of 13 multidisciplinary experts in areas such as evidence-based review, clinical practice, public health, laboratory practice, genomics, epidemiology, economics, ethics, policy, and health technology assessment. Working Group members were selected from a pool of nominated individuals by a HHS interagency Steering Committee. The pool of nominees was solicited via organizations and individuals who received a recruitment notice by email, and could nominate candidates directly and/or distribute the message; the recruitment notice was also posted on the NOPHG website. Interested individuals could also self-nominate. Cover letters and CVs were reviewed by the EGAPP Steering Committee. Written reviews on each candidate were prepared by four Steering Committee members, then reviewed by a subcommittee and summarized for the full Steering Committee. Telephone interviews with 19 candidates selected by the Steering Committee, were completed and written reports were provided to the Steering Committee for evaluation. Eleven members were selected and announced in April, 2005. Two additional members were later selected to fill identified gaps in experience and perspective.

Roles of the Working Group include:

• establishing methods and processes for evidence-based reviews and the development of recommendations;
• prioritizing and selecting topics for evidence review;
• participating on technical expert panels for commissioned evidence reviews;
• developing recommendations based on the evidence; and
• publication of methods and experience

Key objectives of the Working Group are a transparent process and the provision of clear linkage between the scientific evidence developed and the conclusions/recommendations and information subsequently disseminated.

EGAPP Subcommittees

At the first EGAPP Working Group meeting, three subcommittees (SC) were established to address Topics, Methods, and Outcomes. In early 2006, a Products Subcommittee was organized.

Two-day EGAPP Working Group meetings are held three times per year, and the work of the subcommittees continues between meetings through teleconferencing. Based on the agenda and specific tests under consideration or review, members are asked to declare any potential conflicts of interest.

• The Topics Subcommittee (SC) develops the processes for review, prioritization, and selection of topics for review, and takes the lead in reviewing potential topics and making recommendations on highest priority topics to the full Working Group.

• The Methods SC addresses a range of methodological issues, including formulation of key questions and analytic frameworks for specific reviews, development of EGAPP evidence review protocols (e.g. for grading quality of studies or strength of evidence), and translation of evidence to recommendations.

• The Outcomes SC was charged with developing a lexicon of medical, family and population outcomes from which the outcomes of interest for specific reviews can be selected (completed in early 2006).

• The Products SC considers content, format and timelines for EGAPP products (e.g., publications, abstracts/presentations, web postings, recommendations), overseas development and implementation of processes for internal and peer review and dissemination of EGAPP written and web products, and clears products to go to the full Working Group for approval.

EGAPP Working Group members also serve on Technical Expert Panels (TEPs) established to advise the investigators conducting each specific evidence review.