and methodological standards under clause (iii), including with the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. (B) Evidence reports (i) Initial publication The Director shall make publicly available each systematic evidence review and any related reports that serve as the foundation for any recommendation of the Task Force and publish in the Federal Register a request for public comments on such review or related reports. (ii) Public comment period The Director shall accept comments on any draft evidence report published under clause (i) during a period of at least 45 days. The Director shall make publicly available comments submitted in response to a request for public comment. Each final evidence review shall include a description of comments submitted on the draft evidence review and the response of the Task Force to such comments. (iii) Review by external experts No such evidence report shall be published prior to it being reviewed by a panel of external subject matter experts that includes provider and patient representatives. Each such report shall include a description of the panel that conducted such review. Such description shall include information on each panel member, including name, academic degree (or degrees), affiliations, and related expertise. (C) Recommendation statements (i) Publication of draft recommendations The Director shall make publicly available each draft recommendation statement (as that term is used for purposes of section 7 of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Procedure Manual, as in effect on April 1, 2019) and shall provide for the publication in the Federal Register of a request for comments and accept comments during a period of not less than 45 days. (ii) Consultation on