During the ISPOR Fifth Annual International Meeting, the scientific merit exhibited in contributed poster and podium presentations was recognized with awards given by authors' groups: students, new investigators and others. This year, the ISPOR Awards Committee evaluated approximately 48 podium presentations and 260 poster presentations. Evaluations of scientific merit were based upon the following criteria: Background provides appropriate perspective / context for the subject Objectives / research questions are clearly stated Research design / methods / modeling is appropriate and transparent (scores on this will determine winners in case of ties) Data sources and/or sampling procedures are clear and appropriate Data analyses are appropriate Research objectives are met/addressed Implications of findings are discussed Factual information is kept separate from interpretations or implications Abstract is presented in an unbiased manner Clarity of presentation And the winners are... BEST CONTRIBUTED PAPER AWARDS PODIUM PRESENTATIONS D2 COST UTILITY OF DOCETAXEL VS VINORELBINE OR PACLITAXEL IN ADVANCED BREAST CANCER Brown R1, Hutton J2, 1MEDTAP International Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA; 2MEDTAP International Inc., London, UK CEB1 PHARMACOGENOMICS: EVALUATING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT Veenstra DL, Higashi MK, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Q2 PATIENT PREFERENCES FOR TREATMENT OUTCOMES IN DISABLING TREMOR Leidy NK1, Palmer C1, Coughlin C2, Halpern M1, Charles D3, 1MEDTAP International, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2Ingenix, Eden Prairie, MN, USA; 3Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA New Investigator Category ICP4 HEALTH STATE PREFERENCES IN DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY Devine EB1, Sullivan SD1, Lew DP2, Veenstra DL1, 1Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; 2Roche Global Pharmacoeconomic Group, Palo Alto, CA, USA D4 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF WARFARIN IN OUTPATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION: INNOVATOR VERSUS GENERIC Mittmann N1, Bartle W2, Walker SE2, Oh PI1, 1HOPE Research Centre, Sunnybrook And Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Department of Pharmacy, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada ICP3 FACTORS INFLUENCING PATIENT WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR DIABETES DISEASE STATE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS Barner JC, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA Student Category S4 METHODS FOR COMPARING AREAS UNDER RECEIVER OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC CURVES: APPLICATION IN SCREENING ACCURACY FOR DEPRESSION Shaw JW1, Treglia M1, Motheral B2, Coons SJ2, 1Global Health Outcomes Research, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 2College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA S1 IMPACT OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA TREATMENT GUIDELINES ON LENGTH OF STAY AND COST Merchant SV, Mullins CD, Cooke CE, Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA BEST CONTRIBUTED PAPER AWARDS POSTER PRESENTATIONS PHV14 A MULTINATIONAL PHARMACOECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE SEVEN-VALENT PNEUMOCOCCAL CONJUGATE VACCINE Arikian S1, Ciuryla, V2, Doyle JJ13, Casciano J1, Casciano R1, Hvidsten K1, 1The Analytica Group Ltd., New York, NY, USA; 2Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, St. Davids, PA, USA; 3Columbia University, School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA PHV21 PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF PERTUSSIS BOOSTER VACCINATION OF HOSPITAL STAFF Botteman MF1, Pashos CL2, Staginnus U3, 1Abt Associates Clinical Trials, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2Abt Associates Clinical Trials, Cambridge, MA, USA; 3SmithKline Beecham Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium PCN1 OUTCOMES AND COSTS OF ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA OVER ONE YEAR FOLLOWING DIAGNOSIS: AN ANALYSIS OF SEER-MEDICARE DATA Menzin J1, Lang K1, Earle CE2, Kerney D1, 1Boston Health Economics, Inc., Billerica, MA, USA; 2Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA New Investigator Category PCN16 VALIDITY OF THE TIME-TRADE OFF TECHNIQUE IN DETERMINING PREFERENCES FOR THE TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER Watkins Bruner D, Baron J, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Cheltenham, PA, USA PMH33 NEUROLEPTIC DRUG EXPOSURE AND TARDIVE DYSKINESIA: A RECORDS-BASED CASE-CONTROL STUDY Marshall DL1, Hazlet TK2, Gardner JS2, Blough DK2, 1Marshall Pharmacy Outcomes Research Associates, Renton, WA, USA; 2University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA PHV12 MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR RIBAVIRIN-INDUCED HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA IN THE TREATMENT OF HEPATITIS C: CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS Devine EB1, Kowdley KV2, Sullivan SD1, Veenstra DL1; 1Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; 2Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Student Category PMH37 EVALUATING HEALTHCARE RESOURCE UTILIZATION IN A POPULATION OF MIGRAINE PATIENTS USING SUMATRIPTAN AND NON-SUMATRIPTAN PHARMACEUTICALS Joish VN1, Cady PS2, Culbertson VL2, Delate T1, 1College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; 2College of Pharmacy, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA PCN15 COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF TAMOXIFEN IN BREAST CANCER RISK REDUCTION Sengupta N, Hay JW, Pharmaceutical Economics & Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA PDB5 COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF RENTINOPATHY SCREENING IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH TYPE I DIABETES MELLITUS Li J, Hay J, Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA On a special note, the ISPOR Awards Committee would like to recognize James Shaw PharmD, Health Outcomes Fellow, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN for Best Overall Student Contribution for the Podium Presentation: METHODS FOR COMPARING AREAS UNDER RECEIVER OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC CURVES: APPLICATION IN SCREENING ACCURACY FOR DEPRESSION In selecting the winner of this award, the ISPOR Awards Committee found that Dr. Shaw did an outstanding job in the clarity of his presentation and demonstrated good depth of knowledge on the subject. As the winner, Jim will receive complimentary transportation, lodging and registration to attend the ISPOR Sixth Annual International Meeting in 2001. Congratulations for your fine work!