Health Science Committee
Good Research Practices Task Forces
ISPOR's role as a scientific society is to assist in the development and dissemination of scientific policy (good practices in health outcomes research and its use in decision-making) and to inform its membership of relevant public policy developments and, when appropriate, to seek to influence public policy-making on the basis of good scientific practice to improve the use of scientific information (i.e. pharmacoeconomic information) in decision-making. ISPOR makes a distinction between public policy (legal framework governing the provision of health care in a particular jurisdiction) and scientific policy (good practice in health outcomes research and its use in decision making). ISPOR's primary focus is on scientific policy issues. Toward this goal, the ISPOR Health Science Committee consisting of six Task Forces was created.
Each Task Force has its own agenda, but areas common to two or more Task Forces are coordinated through the Health Science Committee. The diagram above illustrates the overlap in missions. In particular, the goal is to develop comprehensive good research practices ('toolboxes') for the major methodological areas to provide guidance to the researcher. Each Task Force consists of a Chair, Core Committee (˜6) selected by the Chair, and Reference Committee (ISPOR members who volunteered). Working Papers developed by each Task Force are posted at the ISPOR website at: www.ispor.org under
Research Issues. These Working Papers are also discussed and/or debated at the ISPOR Annual Meeting and European Congress.
The four Task Forces, which will be primarily developing 'toolboxes' for the outcomes researcher, are:
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Task Force on Good Research Practices - Modeling Studies
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Task Force on Good Research Practices - Prospective Studies
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Task Force on Good Research Practices - Retrospective Database Studies
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Task Force on Good Research Practices - Outcomes Assessment using Quality of
Life indicator
Two Task Forces have overlapping missions with the four above.
The Task Force which addresses the ethical issues to consider when conducting any type of outcomes research study is:
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Task Force on Code of Ethics
The Task Force whose mission it is to assure that the good research practices of any study incorporate the needs and 'reality checks' of healthcare decision-makers as well as to develop a 'toolbox' for the healthcare decision-maker in interpreting and using outcomes studies is:
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Task Force on Use of Pharmacoeconomics/Health Economic/Outcomes Research Information in Healthcare Decision-making
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