(a) In general
The Director shall promote innovation in evidence-based health care practices and technologies by—

(1) conducting and supporting research on the development, diffusion, and use of health care technology;

(2) developing, evaluating, and disseminating methodologies for assessments of health care practices and technologies;

(3) conducting intramural and supporting extramural assessments of existing and new health care practices and technologies;

(4) promoting education and training and providing technical assistance in the use of health care practice and technology assessment methodologies and results; and

(5) working with the National Library of Medicine and the public and private sector to develop an electronic clearinghouse of currently available assessments and those in progress.

(b) Specification of process

(1) In general
Not later than December 31, 2000, the Director shall develop and publish a description of the methods used by the Agency and its contractors for health care practice and technology assessment.

(2) Consultations
In carrying out this subsection, the Director shall cooperate and consult with the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, and the heads of any other interested Federal department or agency, and shall seek input, where appropriate, from professional societies and other private and public entities.

(3) Methodology
The Director shall, in developing the methods used under paragraph (1), consider—

(A) safety, efficacy, and effectiveness;

(B) legal, social, and ethical implications;

(C) costs, benefits, and cost-effectiveness;

(D) comparisons to alternate health care practices and technologies; and

(E) requirements of Food and Drug Administration approval to avoid duplication.

(c) Specific assessments

(1) In general
The Director shall conduct or support specific assessments of health care technologies and practices.

(2) Requests for assessments
The Director is authorized to conduct or support assessments, on a reimbursable basis, for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Office of Personnel Management, and other public or private entities.

(3) Grants and contracts
In addition to conducting assessments, the Director may make grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with, entities described in paragraph (4) for the purpose of conducting assessments of experimental, emerging, existing, or potentially outmoded health care technologies, and for related activities.

(4) Eligible entities
An entity described in this paragraph is an entity that is determined to be appropriate by the Director, including academic medical centers, research institutions and organizations, professional organizations, third party payers, governmental agencies, minority institutions of higher education (such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic institutions), and consortia of appropriate research entities established for the purpose of conducting technology assessments.

(d) Medical examination of certain victims

(1) In general
The Director shall develop and disseminate a report on evidence-based clinical practices for—

(A) the examination and treatment by health professionals of individuals who are victims of sexual assault (including child molestation) or attempted sexual assault; and

(B) the training of health professionals, in consultation with the Health Resources and Services Administration, on performing medical evidentiary examinations of individuals who are victims of child abuse or neglect, sexual assault, elder abuse, or domestic violence.

(2) Certain considerations
In identifying the issues to be addressed by the report, the Director shall, to the extent practicable, take into consideration the expertise and experience of Federal and State law enforcement officials regarding the victims referred to in paragraph (1), and of other appropriate public and private entities (including medical societies, victim services organizations, sexual assault prevention organizations, and social services organizations).