A Program Materials Review Panel (PMRP) is a CDC-mandated panel set up at the agency, local, regional, state, or federal level to review HIV educational materials for accuracy, ease of understanding, and appropriateness for their intended audiences.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) require all HIV educational materials to be used under a contractor’s DSHS project plan to be reviewed and approved by a local, regional, state, or federal Program Materials Review Panel (PMRP). These materials include:

• written materials
• audio-visual materials
• pictorials
• social marketing
• advertising materials
• educational materials
• social media communications (e.g., Facebook, Twitter)
• electronic communications (internet/webpages)

Only materials that provide HIV-related information for educational and informational purposes are required to be reviewed by Program Materials Review Panel. Materials that do not require review by a PMRP are those that serve no educational purpose:

• organizational notifications
• surveillance data
• changes to dates/times of marketing materials.

Any agency that receives HIV funding from CDC and/or DSHS must either convene or identify a PMRP to review educational materials. All agencies funded through CDC and/or DSHS sign an assurance of compliance to this effect.

According to CDC guidelines, PMRP panelists should have some knowledge of the science of HIV, current HIV prevention and treatment methods in acquisition and transmission, and understand local epidemiology. PMRPs should also represent a reasonable cross-section of the population served.

According to CDC, all PMRPs must contain at least five (5) persons that constitute a “reasonable cross-section” of the general population.

Yes. All PMRPs must have a state or local health department representative serving on the panel. This would ideally be a health department employee, but a health department may designate another person with subject matter expertise if a department employee is not available.

No. While agency employees may serve on a PMRP, the panel must also include non-agency employees.

The review process is designed to ensure that educational materials are accurate, well-designed, easy to understand, and culturally appropriate for the audience being targeted. Materials should also explain methods for reducing the risk of HIV infection.

Although all HIV educational materials must encourage healthy behaviors and may not promote or encourage sexual activity and substance abuse, this clause may not be construed to restrict information about reducing the risk of HIV or STD infection so long as materials are not obscene*. The PMRP process in Texas is designed to improve educational materials, not censor them.

* “Obscene” as defined by the “contemporary community standards” provision outlined in the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case Miller vs. California. For more information on selected Supreme Court obscenity cases, go to: findlaw.com/01topics/06constitutional/cases.html.

No. Materials that have been reviewed at the federal level by CDC or at the statewide level by the DSHS PMRP do not need to be re-reviewed. However, a local or regional PMRP can choose to “re-review” materials for appropriateness if deemed necessary by the panel. 

• CDC “Assurance of Compliance” form listing all PMRP panelists with affiliation and contact information.
• Electronic or print copies of all materials reviewed by PMRP (URL links to online materials are also acceptable).
• Record of materials reviewed by PMRP, including a record of all panelist votes and approval/disapproval outcomes.

PMRP documentation should be scanned and submitted electronically to the Health Communication and Community Engagement Group at hivstd@dshs.texas.gov. Electronic submission is strongly preferred, but arrangements can be made for print submission if necessary.

PMRP questions should be directed to the HIV/STD Section at 737-255-4300 or hivstd@dshs.texas.gov.