•  All abstract submissions and presentations must be in English.
•  Annual Meeting registration is required for all presenters.
•  Expenses associated with submissions and presentation are the responsibility of the presenter.
• The abstract, excluding title and author information, should be no longer than 300 words.
• The presenters of research are required to disclose financial support. Abstract review will NOT be based on this information.
• Multiple abstracts on the same study are discouraged.
• The use of tables and graphs in your abstract submission is not allowed.
•  ALL ABSTRACTS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH ISPOR'S ONLINE ABSTRACT SYSTEM VIA WWW.ISPOR.ORG by January 9, 2006. If you do not have internet access, please fax or phone your request for abstract submission instructions to ISPOR at Tel (USA) 1-609-219-0773 ext. 20 or Fax (USA) 1-609-219-0774.

CONTRIBUTED RESEARCH SUBMISSION INFORMATION

GENERAL INFORMATION:

• Research abstracts (except Methods & Concept abstracts) must be organized as follows: OBJECTIVES: METHODS:
  RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS:
• Research on all diseases is considered. Study methods include, but are not limited to, conjoint analysis, large database analysis, quasi-experimental analysis, literature or record review, modeling, naturalistic (observational) studies, randomized clinical trials and surveys.
• Research on all health care interventions is considered including drugs, behavioral modification, disease prevention, gene
  therapy, medical device, screening, diagnostic procedures, dietary, health education, radiation therapy, and surgical procedures.
• Reviews or methods papers are also considered as research abstracts.
• Any human experimentation must conform to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association
  (Clin Res.1992; 40: 653-660).
• Accepted abstracts will be published AS SUBMITTED in Value in Health and distributed at the Annual Meeting. Changes to abstracts will not be accepted after the submission deadline; therefore, they should be carefully written and edited prior to submission.
• Research that has been published or presented at any national or international meeting prior to this meeting is discouraged.
• Research RESULTS must be included for an abstract to be considered for presentation.
• See Research Abstract Example

Research submissions on the following topics are considered:

• Clinical Outcomes Studies (COS)
• Cost Studies (CS)
• Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO): QoL, PP,  WTP, Utilities, Work/Patient/Treatment Satisfaction & Compliance/Persistence
• Health Care Use & Policy Studies (HP)
• Methods and Concepts (MC)

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF RESEARCH ABSTRACTS:

Quality Of Study For Research Abstracts:
* Note: For studies involving data collection or analysis, the abstract will be REJECTED if RESULTS are NOT included.

1. Research design is appropriate and transparent.
2. Data sources are appropriate and transparent.
3. Data analyses are appropriate and transparent.
4. Results ARE INCLUDED and are transparent and comprehensible.
5. Conclusions are consistent with the results.

Quality Of  Methods And Concept Abstracts:

1. Approach to method and/or concept is apparent.
2. Approach represents advancement or is innovative.
3. Practical implications/recommendations provided.
4. Papers do NOT need to be organized: Objectives: Methods: Results: Conclusions:

Quality of the Abstract Presentation:

1. Objectives/research questions are clearly stated and objectives are addressed.
2. Factual information is kept separate from interpretations or implications / unbiased presentation.
3. Implications/results, as presented, are easy to understand.

PRESENTATION OF RESEARCH ABSTRACTS:

PODIUM PRESENTATIONS

• All oral presentations will be programmed into 15-minute time slots. You will have 12 minutes for presentation and 3 minutes for questions and discussion. It is important that you not exceed 15 minutes. Financial support for the research must be presented at the beginning of the presentation.
• Audiovisual equipment: An LCD projector and laptop computer will be provided. Slide projection or overhead transparency projection are not allowed.
• YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BRING AT LEAST 100 HANDOUTS OF YOUR PRESENTATION MATERIAL.
• Presenter MUST email electronic slides NOT LESS THAN 10 DAYS in advance of the Meeting to the ISPOR office at podium@ispor.org.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

• At least one author must be present during the Author Discussion Hour.
• The abstract title and authors must be placed at the top of the board, and the lettering must be at least 1 inch high. A copy of the abstract, typed in large print, must be placed in the upper left hand corner of the board. Subtitles should correspond to those used in your abstract submission. Illustrations, charts, tables, lettering, and drawings must be readable from distances of at least three feet. Financial support must be displayed at the lower right hand corner of the board. 
• Mounting materials will be available on-site.  
• YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BRING AT LEAST 200 HANDOUTS OF YOUR PRESENTATION MATERIAL.

CONTRIBUTED WORKSHOP SUBMISSION INFORMATION
 
GENERAL INFORMATION

• Workshops are designed to share novel and innovative experiences in either the conduct of pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research studies or the interpretation and use of pharmacoeconomic outcomes information in healthcare policy development.
• Workshops consists of not more than 3 discussion leaders • Workshop submissions must be organized as follows: Workshop Purpose: The objective( s) of the workshop should be clearly defined. Workshop Description: A clear description of the topic is presented including background information. The interactive part of the workshop is clearly described (with example).
• Accepted workshop submissions are published AS SUBMITTED in the Meeting Program & Schedule of Events.
• See workshop example

TOPICS FOR WORKSHOP SUBMISSIONS:
Workshop submissions are accepted on the following TOPICS:

• Clinical study methodology
• Cost study methodology
• Patient-reported outcomes study methodology
• Preference-based studies methodology including utility studies
• Formulary development research
• Health care policy development issues using outcomes research
• Risk assessment/risk management
• Compliance / persistence
• Patient registry development

WORKSHOP REVIEW PROCESS AND NOTIFICATION OF AUTHORS:

• All contributed workshops are peer reviewed by at least 3 reviewers (not blinded).
• Contributed Workshop submissions will be evaluated based on relevance and completeness of information presented based on the Contributed Workshop Criteria given below.
• Authors will be notified no later than MARCH 1, 2006, regarding abstract acceptance and placement in the Annual Meeting program.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF CONTRIBUTED WORKSHOPS:

Workshop acceptance is based on the quality of the submission and the topic for discussion

• The workshop purpose(s) are clearly stated.
• The purpose(s) can be achieved in the 60 minutes allotted for this workshop.
• The information / issue(s) presented are novel or innovative.
• The information / issue(s) presented are valuable to the pharmacoeconomic & outcomes researcher or the health care decision- maker.
• There is an audience interactive element in the workshop.
• The workshop does NOT appear to be advertising the presenter's company's services or products

• All workshops will be programmed into 60-minute time periods.
• A single presenter or multiple presenters may present workshops.
• A minimum of 15 minutes of structured audience participation is required.
• Visual equipment: an LCD projector and screen will be provided in each room. However, YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN LAPTOP COMPUTER.

CONTRIBUTED ISSUE PANEL SUBMISSION INFORMATION

GENERAL INFORMATION

Contributed Issues Panels are designed to stimulate real debate on new or controversial issues in health economic/pharmacoeconomic and outcomes research or use of outcomes research in health care decision-making.

• An Issue Panel is composed of a moderator and 1 to 2 panelists.
• To assure lively debate, panelists and/or moderator should be from different institutions and/or work environments representing different perspectives to the debate.
• Panelists should present distinct views about the topic
• Issue Panel submissions abstracts must be organized as follows:

  •	TITLE: Full title of your Issue Panel (showing the debate issue in the title is recommended)
  •	MODERATOR AND/OR CONTACT PERSON: Name, degrees, position, and full contact information for the Moderator of the Issue Panel
  •	ISSUE: A clear definition of the issue should be described indicating the perspectives to be presented (with panelists named for each perspective)
  •	OVERVIEW: Background information on the issue(s) should be included.

• Accepted abstracts are published AS SUBMITTED in the Meeting Final Program.
• See Issue Panel Example

TOPICS FOR ISSUE PANEL SUBMISSION
Issue Panel submissions are accepted on (but not excluded to) the following topics:

• Pharmacoeconomic / Health Economic Study Methodology Issues
• Patient-Reported Outcomes / Quality of Life Study Methodology Issues
• Utility (Preference-based) Study Methodology Issues
• Clinical Outcomes (treatment guidelines) Issues
• Health Policy Issues
• Health Care Reimbursement / Coverage Issues
• Risk Assessment Study Issues
• Use Of Health Economic/Pharmacoeconomic Information By Decision-Makers Issues

• Contributed Issue Panel submissions are reviewed by the Issue Panel Chair(s)
• Proposals will be evaluated based on topic, relevance to meeting theme and completeness of information presented based on the criteria given above

• Is the issue clearly defined?
• Is more than 1 perspective identified?
• Is the background information (included in the overview) clear and concise?
• Is there time allotted for audience discussion and debate?

• All Issues Panels will be 60 minutes.
• 20-30 minutes of audience participation is required
• An LCD projector screen and microphones will be provided. However, YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN LAPTOP COMPUTER.

Online Abstract Submission