Mission

The mission of the Medical Expert Panel (MEP) Program is to improve highway safety by providing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) expert opinion and advice on medical standards and guidance and research on the medical certification of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

Background

The FMCSA Medical Program has established Medical Expert Panels to assist the Agency with its goal to update current, and develop new, medical fitness for duty standards and guidelines for drivers of CMVs who operate in interstate commerce.

The FMCSA Medical Program is comprised of experienced clinicians and researchers knowledgeable in evidence-based medicine. The team conducts background and preliminary research on relevant medical issues, conducts systematic reviews of the medical literature, and performs meta-analyses using quantitative and qualitative models to develop evidence-based recommendations.

Each MEP is comprised of an independent panel of physicians, clinicians, and scientists who are experts in their specialty fields. The MEP reviews the evidence in the research report about a question or topic, and makes recommendations to the Agency in the form of a report. A MEP representative may present their recommendations at a public forum such as the deliberation of FMCSA's Medical Review Board.

Executive summaries of evidence reports and MEP recommendation reports are posted on this site. Comprehensive evidence reports can be reviewed at the National Transportation Library Web site http://ntl.bts.gov.

For questions about FMCSA's Medical Program, email FMCSAMedical@dot.gov