HHS Information Quality and Peer Review Agenda

HHS Information Quality

It is HHS's goal to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information that it disseminates to the public. HHS strives to provide information that is accurate, reliable, clear, complete, unbiased, and useful. HHS is committed to integrating the principle of information quality into every phase of information development, including creation, collection, maintenance, and dissemination.  

In accordance with the provisions in the Information Quality (or Data Quality) Act, Public Law 106-554, Section 515 and OMB government-wide requirements, HHS has developed HHS Information Quality Guidelines. The HHS Guidelines include department-wide umbrella policies and guidelines, operating agency specific guidelines, and administrative mechanisms to request correction of applicable information.

Effective Date: The quality review procedures described in the HHS Guidelines apply to information disseminated by HHS agencies on or after October 1, 2002. The administrative correction mechanisms outlined in the guidelines apply to information disseminated by HHS agencies on or after October 1, 2002 regardless of when it was first disseminated.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) manages the Information Quality process in HHS. ASPE manages the development and implementation of the HHS Guidelines and the formal complaint mechanism. ASPE also oversees the HHS information quality website and serves as a resource to HHS agencies and offices in the development of an information quality response.

HHS Peer Review

HHS shares the goal of assuring that the best available scientific and technical information is used to support regulatory and programmatic decision making. HHS makes use of different types of peer review throughout the agency to inform decisions ranging from selecting meritorious scientific research proposals and assessing the quality and productivity of intramural research programs to reviewing scientific information in the development of policies for research, clinical practice, and public health.

Effective Date: The OMB Bulletin requirements are effective for agency influential scientific information or highly influential scientific assessments first disseminated on or after June 16, 2005. Influential scientific information and highly influential scientific assessments disseminated before that date are not subject to the Bulletin.