About the Journal
Value in Health Regional Issues is a peer-reviewed, MEDLINE-indexed journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). The journal publishes articles that focus on health-related topics that impact the health policies and populations in the following regions: 1) Asia; 2) Central & Eastern Europe, Western Asia, and Africa; and 3) Latin America.
The Editor-in-Chief, Manuel Antonio Espinoza, MD, MSc, PhD, works closely with the Deputy Editors and editorial team to establish the strategic direction and editorial policies for the journal. The journal's 3 Deputy Editors are responsible for specific geographic regions: (1) Nathorn Chiayakunapruk, PharmD, PhD [Asia], (2) Ibrahim Alabbadi, PhD, MBA, BPharm [Central and Eastern Europe, Western Asia, and Africa], and (3) Fernando De La Hoz Restrepo, PhD, MD, MSc [Latin America].
The journal uses a blinded peer-review process to ensure rigorous and transparent use of statistical methods. Value in Health Regional Issues also requires that papers reporting modeling results include sensitivity analysis of key and influential model parameters.
ISPOR Journals: Where to Publish?
In 2012, ISPOR launched Value in Health Regional Issues as a companion journal to Value in Health. A major objective of the new journal was to provide an additional publication outlet for researchers in these regions. Value in Health Regional Issues has grown in stature over the years and is now a MEDLINE-indexed journal. Therefore, the distinction between Value in Health and Value in Health Regional Issues is less clear than initially intended. Thus, potential authors from the regions covered by Value in Health Regional Issues may be wondering which journal is most appropriate for submission of their papers.
The main distinction between the 2 journals is not in the methodological quality of papers each publishes, but rather in the paper’s specific focus. Given the international readership of Value in Health, papers submitted to this journal should have relevance beyond the country where the research was conducted. The clearest example of this would be a paper discussing a new methodological approach that could be applied in a number of settings, or the ISPOR Good Research Practices Task Force Reports, which provide statements on current international methodological standards.
For empirical papers, Value in Health might publish some of the first results of the cost-effectiveness or health outcomes gained from a new health technology, since these may be helpful for countries that have not yet evaluated the technology concerned. It might also publish papers exploring the impact of an innovative health policy that may be capable of application in other countries.
However, Value in Health is less interested in publishing country applications of economic models that have been published previously, or country adaptations of quality-of-life instruments, unless there are some broader insights from these adaptations.
On the other hand, Value in Health Regional Issues may have higher interest in these papers if (1) they meet the journal’s methodological standards and (2) they provide useful estimates for the region concerned.
Therefore, when considering whether to submit to Value in Health or Value in Health Regional Issues, the main issue for an author to consider is: Does my paper offer important insights beyond the country where the research was conducted?
Mission Statement
The mission of Value in Health Regional Issues is to provide a forum for the advancement and dissemination of knowledge and research in health economics and the health-related outcomes of disease and treatment processes.
Editorial Scope
In keeping with its broad mission, Value in Health Regional Issues welcomes original contributions in healthcare policy analysis, outcomes research (clinical, economic, and patient-reported), empirical studies, and methodological studies that examine the use and funding of healthcare resources in the region. Manuscripts submitted to Value in Health Regional Issues must focus on patient populations or health policies within the geographic region to which the regional issue is dedicated.
Commentaries are also welcome and should include a discussion on how researchers can respond better to the needs of those making clinical, policy, and financial decisions for the healthcare of the populations in these regions.
Value in Health Regional Issues does not consider papers reporting data series or data sets that do not include appropriate statistical confidence intervals and/or other measures of statistical imprecision. Value in Health Regional Issues also does not consider papers reporting modeling results that do not include sensitivity analysis of key and influential model parameters.
The editors are particularly interested in receiving articles on the following topic areas:
Economic Evaluations
Economic
evaluations that assess the costs and consequences of alternative
healthcare interventions are of interest, including those involving
drugs, devices, procedures, and systems of organization of healthcare.
However, studies that only consider costs or the economic burden of
disease are less likely to be accepted unless they address important
methodological or policy issues.
Patient-Reported Outcomes
Many
challenging empirical and theoretical problems remain in the concept
and measurement of patient-reported outcomes (PRO), including
health-related quality of life (QoL). Articles presenting research on
the development of measures for PRO/QoL instruments, especially
innovative ways of assessing content or construct validity, are invited.
Preference-Based Assessments
Research
on the development and use of various types of instruments to express
the value of healthcare, including health “utility” assessments,
discrete choice experiments/conjoint analyses, and assessments of
individuals’ willingness to pay is encouraged.
Comparative-Effectiveness Research/Health Technology Assessment
Although
it is difficult to be precise about the nature of the articles in this
category (see Luce et al, The Milbank Quarterly. 2010;88:256-276 for one
taxonomy), Value in Health Regional Issues welcomes articles presenting
information that can assist those deciding on the efficient and
equitable allocation of healthcare resources by examining the relative
value of interventions. In some cases, relative value may be addressed
by considering only clinical outcomes, although normally it will involve
considering PRO/QoL measures and impacts on resource utilization.
Articles in this category can report the results of primary research or
present findings from meta analyses or systematic reviews of the existing
literature.
Health Policy Analyses
The journal invites
articles that discuss various aspects of health policy, in particular
those concerned with pricing and reimbursement issues, the adoption of
new health technologies, or policies to encourage “value-based” decision
making. However, the journal’s scope does not include papers dealing
with more general issues of healthcare financing, health insurance, and
cost- containment measures.
Research Published as ”Working Papers,” “Research Papers,” or on Institutions’ Websites
In common with most peer-reviewed journals, ISPOR journals are keen to publish original material that will be highly impactful. However, the editors are aware that, within the field of health services research and policy, some material may have been available previously as a working paper or research paper, or through publication on the host institution’s website.
ISPOR journals do not have a firm policy to reject material that has been available previously in the public domain. Rather, the following tests will be applied to any paper submitted to the journals:
(i) Does the paper summarize the material from a much longer report that makes it more accessible to the readership of Value in Health Regional Issues and more likely to impact decision making because of the peer-reviewed publication?
(ii) Does the paper add to the methods and/or data published in the original report, either by reporting more data or by raising different discussion points?
(iii) In the case of a working paper or research paper, is the version submitted for peer review substantively different from the publicly posted draft version, and will the organization that published the draft paper remove the draft version and redirect individuals to the final published paper in ISPOR journals?
If one or more of the above criteria are met, the paper may be considered for publication in an ISPOR journal through the normal peer- review process. If an ISPOR journal publishes the paper, a link from the original posting’s website should refer readers to the appropriate ISPOR publication.
Following Good Practices for Outcomes Research
Our sister journal, Value in Health, publishes the reports on “Good Practices for Outcomes Research” developed by task forces appointed by the ISPOR Board of Directors. There are now more than 65 task force reports, which can be accessed here. These task force reports provide guidance for best practices across a variety of research areas, including methods related to articles relevant to the scope of Value in Health Regional Issues. These include comparative-effectiveness research, economic evaluation, observational studies, patient-reported outcomes, modeling, preference-based methods, and the use of outcomes research in decision making.
Although ISPOR journals do not prescribe any particular research methods, the editors strongly encourage authors to review the ISPOR Good Practices for Outcomes Research reports relating to the methods or topics covered by their paper. The reports are written by thought leaders in the various fields of research and are extensively peer reviewed by members of the Society.
Some of the task force reports address the reporting of research studies. Irrespective of the methods used in a particular study, our editors believe that adherence to accepted standards of reporting is important. Therefore, if your paper reports an economic evaluation, we recommend that you follow the CHEERS1 guidelines. If your analysis is based on a model, we recommend that you follow the guidance in the ISPOR-SMDM Task Force2 report on model transparency and validation. Other reporting standards of particular relevance to authors of papers in ISPOR journals are the PRISMA guidelines3 for the reporting of systematic reviews and the CONSORT guidelines4 for reporting the results of studies assessing health-related quality of life/patient-reported outcomes.
Article Categories
Value in Health Regional Issues considers articles in the following categories, which comprise the sections of the journal. When submitting a manuscript through our online system, authors should indicate the appropriate category under which they wish their paper to be considered. All submissions will be considered for peer review prior to publication, with the exception of Editorials, Commentaries, and Letters to the Editor, which will be reviewed internally by the editors.
| Article Type | Description | Word Limit* | Limit No. Figures / Tables** |
| Original Research | These papers report the findings of original research and may contain the results of empirical analysis, instrument development, or policy analysis. | 4000 | 6 |
| Methodological Articles | As the name implies, these papers deal with methodological issues in any of the topic areas within the scope of the journal. They can include data if these are required to illustrate the importance of particular methodological points. | 3500 | 6 |
| Policy Perspectives | These papers discuss important health policy topics within the scope of the journal. They may reflect conceptual pieces or reviews of the literature. | 3000 | 4 |
| Systematic Literature Reviews | These papers review empirical studies consistent with the methods of systematic review proposed by the Cochrane Collaboration. However, they need not be confined to reviews of randomized controlled trials and can include reviews of observational studies, economic evaluations, outcomes research studies, and preference-based assessments. | 4000 | 6 |
| Brief Reports | These are empirical analyses with a more narrow focus than original research articles and generally a single aim. | 2500 | 2 |
| Commentaries | These brief papers present a particular perspective on a timely or controversial topic. They do not necessarily need to be based on original research or reviews of the literature and can be based on opinion, providing the points made are transparent and well-argued. While commentaries are typically invited contributions, the editors will consider unsolicited submissions. | 2000 | 1 |
| Editorials | Editorials are commissioned by the editorial team and often accompany a paper published in the same issue of the journal. | 1200 | 1 |
| Letters to the Editor | Customarily, letters refer to content published in the journal within the past 6 months. Authors of the article to which the letter refers will be given the opportunity to reply and if a response is issued, both the letter and the reply will be published in the same issue of the journal. | 1500 | 1 |
* The manuscript word limit excludes the abstract, references, figure legends, tables, and appendices/supplemental materials.
** The maximum number of graphic elements reflects a combined total of figures (including figure parts) and tables.Author Anonymity
It is the policy of Value in Health Regional Issues that peer review of submitted manuscripts is double blinded (ie, the reviewers do not know the names of the authors of manuscripts and the authors do not know the names of the reviewers). As such, the journal requires that all identifying information (author names, acknowledgements, etc) be removed from the manuscript components (including files names) and strictly limited to the cover letter and unblinded title page (which are not accessible to peer reviewers).
Languages
Value in Health Regional Issues articles may be published in a language of the region other than English (ie, Spanish or Portuguese for Latin America issue). All manuscripts accepted for publication in Value in Health Regional Issues must have an abstract and keywords in English as well as the language of the manuscript (if not English).
Authors for whom English is a second language who would like to submit a manuscript in English may choose to have their manuscript professionally edited before submission. Authors wishing to employ a professional English-language editing service (English manuscript submissions only) should make contact and arrange payment with the editing service of their choice. For more details regarding the recommended services, click here.Manuscript Formatting
Manuscripts must be written in English, typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, using an 8½ x 11-inch page format with 1-inch margins on all sides. Minimal formatting should be used (ie, no justification, underlining, indenting, etc). There should beno hard returns at the end of lines. Authors should consult the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors (11th ed)6 or the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (ICMJE Recommendations)7 for specific style issues not addressed here.
| Formatting | Description |
|---|---|
| Font | 12-point, Times New Roman |
| Line spacing | Double-spaced throughout |
| Margins | One inch (2.5 cm) on all sides |
| Page size | Letter (8½ x 11 inches) |
| Page numbering | Bottom of page, centered (starting with abstract page) |
| Heading style | First level: bold; second level: bold italics |
Each submission should contain separate documents as follows (elements are listed in the order they should appear in the manuscript):
Cover Letter
The cover letter should be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief and include a brief description of the article, indicating why the paper would be of particular interest to the readers of Value in Health Regional Issues and how it contributes to the existing literature. In addition, the cover letter should include the following specific components:
Components Description Title The full title and subtitle of the article (no more than 25 words) Description/ Interest to Readers A brief description of the article, indicating why the paper would be of particular interest to the journal’s readership Statement of Proprietary Data Statement indicating whether the data, models, or methodology used in the research are proprietary Funding/Support All financial and material support for the research must be disclosed. Include the complete names of the funding organization(s) and grant numbers, where applicable (eg, “Funding for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Health grant 1ABC2DEF” or “This study was supported by XYZ, Inc”) Role of Sponsor Statement that the publication of study results was not contingent on the sponsor’s approval or censorship of the manuscript Contact information for the corresponding author Full name (first, middle, last) and degree; department; institution; mailing address; email; phone; and fax Title Pages
Each manuscript must contain two separate title pages: One unblinded title page (containing author information, funding, and acknowledgements) and one blinded title page (containing no identifying information of the authors or author institutions). Generally, the title pages should contain the following elements:
Component Description Example Manuscript title and subtitle, as appropriate Concise title of the manuscript; no more than 25 words; in title case (not all caps) Clinical Guidelines: A NICE Way to Introduce Cost-Effectiveness Considerations? Running title A shortened title (no more than 45 characters, including spaces) to be used as a running header in the journal Clinical Guidelines and Cost- Effectiveness [see full title above] Full names, degrees, and affiliation for each author (unblinded title page only) List the first name, middle initial (if applicable), surname, highest academic degree(s) (excluding certifications and fellowship designations), affiliation (department and institution), and city/province, state, and country for each author John D. Doe, Jr, MDDepartment of MedicineUniversity of YorkHelsington, YorkEngland, UKSusan T. Smith, MD, MPHDepartment of Health PolicyUniversity of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA Contact information for corresponding author (unblinded title page only) Provide the full name, mailing and email addresses, and telephone and fax numbers of the corresponding author (the person to whom all correspondence regarding the manuscript will be directed) Thomas J. Wright, III, PhDDepartment of EconomicsPrinceton UniversityRobertson HallPrinceton, NJ 08544USAtjwright@princeton.eduPhone: (609) 23-4567Fax: (609) 987-6543 Financial disclosures/funding statements (unblinded title page only) Include a brief statement indicating all sources of financial or other support received for the manuscript. If no funding was received, this should be noted on the title page. Funding/Support: This study was supported by XYZ, Inc.Financial Disclosure: None reported. Précis 25-word summary of the article (avoid simply restating the title) Précis: Current Medicaid policies that restrict hepatitis C treatment to patients with advanced disease are more costly and less effective than unrestricted, full-access strategies. Acknowledgements (where applicable) Include a statement to acknowledge the assistance of anyone who contributed to the paper (ie, editorial or writing assistance, statistical review, special research assistance, etc), but does not meet the criteria for authorship. Acknowledgements: Jane Doe, PhD,provided statistical support and ThomasSmith contributed to the writing of thisarticle. Word count (see limits for particular article types) Total number of words (excluding abstract, references, figure legends, tables, appendices) Word Count: 3250 Number of pages Total number of pages (including figures, tables, appendices, etc) of the article Number of Pages: 25 Number of figures (see limits for particular article types) Total number of figures (including figure parts [ie, 1a, 1b, 1c = 3]) in the main article (figures in the appendices should be counted separately) Number of Figures: 4 Number of tables (see limits for particular article types) Total number of tables in the main article (tables in the appendices should be counted separately) Number of Tables: 2 Appendices/supplemental materials Include inclusive number of pages, figures, and tables for any supplemental materials Appendix:Pages: 6Figures: 2Tables: 0
Manuscript Components
All manuscript submissions must contain the following components (see table below). Start each component on a new page.
| Component | Format / Word Limit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Abstract |
| All submissions (except Letters to the Editor and Editorials) must include an abstract that summarizes the work reported in the manuscript. Commentaries should include a brief, non-structured abstract/summary. |
| Highlights |
| Authors should identify 2-3 “Highlights” that illustrate the paper’s contribution to the field. These bulleted statements should address:
|
| Body of article |
| The body of the manuscript should be divided into sections that facilitate reading and comprehension of the material, using section headers (first, second, third, etc) as appropriate. Avoid use of footnotes. |
| References |
| Citing unpublished or non–peer-reviewed work such as abstracts and presented papers is discouraged. Personal communications may be indicated in the text as long as written acknowledgment from the authors of the communications accompanies the manuscript. If there are 6 or more authors, use only the names of the first 3, followed by et al. The 4 most common types of references are illustrated below: |
| Journal article | Vassall A, Mangham-Jefferies L, Gomez GB, Pitt C, Foster N. Incorporating demand and supply constraints into economic evaluations in low-income and middle-income countries. Health Econ. 2016;25(suppl 1):95-115. | |
| Journal article with 6 or more authors | Thokala P, Devlin, N, Marsh K, et al. Multiple criteria decision analysis for health care decision making—an introduction: report 1 of the ISPOR MCDA Emerging Good Practices Task Force. Value Health. 2016;19(1):1-13. | |
| Book | Drummond MF, Sculpher MJ, Claxton K, Stoddart GL, Torrance GW. Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes (4th ed). New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. | |
| Book chapter | Schulman KA, Glick HA, Polsky D. Pharmacoeconomics: Economic Evaluation of Pharmaceuticals. In: Strom BL, Kimmel SE eds, Textbook of Pharmacoepidemiology. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, published online May 2013. Accessed March 27, 2020. | |
| Website | ISPOR. ISPOR Good Practices for Outcomes Research Index. www.ispor.org/workpaper/practices_index.asp. [Accessed January 1, 2019]. | |
| Figures |
| Cite figures consecutively as they appear in the text using Arabic numbers (eg, Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3A, etc). Refer to Figures section below for more information. |
| Tables |
| Tables should be clearly labeled, neatly organized, and easy to understand without reference to the text. Refer to Tables section below for more information. |
Figures
Figures should each be submitted as a separate image file, not embedded in the manuscript document or in a slide presentation. Cite figures consecutively as they appear in the text using Arabic numbers (eg, Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3A, etc). Each figure must be assigned a brief title (as few words as possible, and reserving abbreviations for the legend) as well as a legend. The corresponding legend should be typed double-spaced on a separate page. All symbols, arrows, and abbreviations must be explained in the legend.
If authors provide usable color figures with their accepted article, the journal will ensure (at no additional charge) that these figures will appear in color on the web (eg, ScienceDirect and other sites).
Please submit image files with a resolution of at least 300 DPI at a size of 3" x 5". Line artwork should contain a resolution of least 1000 DPI. Elsevier recommends submitting figures in the following formats: TIFF, JPG, EPS, and PDF.
Please be sure to delete any identifying patient information such as name, social security number, etc. Photographs in which a person's face is recognizable must be accompanied by a letter of release from that person explicitly granting permission for publication in the journal. For any previously published material, written permission for both print and electronic reprint rights must be obtained from the copyright holder. For further explanation and examples of artwork preparation, see Elsevier’s Author Artwork Instructions.
Tables
Tables should be clearly labeled, neatly typed, and easy to understand without reference to the text. Statistical estimates should indicate parameter estimates and, as appropriate, t ratios or standard error, statistical significance, sample size, and other relevant information.
All abbreviations must be explained in alphabetical order below each table (eg, DCE indicates discrete choice experiment; EMA, European Medicines Agency; MCDA, multiple criteria decision analysis).
Supplementary Material or Supplementary Data
Authors may submit appendices that describe either methods or results in more detail if these are needed for clarity of understanding by either peer reviewers or readers. If submitted, indicate the particular reasons for the appendix and whether you are submitting it for possible web publication or simply for peer review purposes.
Please note supplementary materials are not edited or laid out; they are posted online in the format submitted to the journal. Be sure to upload supplementary materials in the file format you want readers to access the information online.
Survey Instrument
For papers analyzing preferences, the editors require the submission of a copy of the survey instrument (translated into English if published in a different original language) used to generate the preference data. This is to help facilitate the review process, and the survey instrument need not appear in a final publication. If the authors wish the questionnaire to be published with the paper, it should be submitted through the journal’s online submission system as part of the paper. If the questionnaire is not intended to be published with the paper, it should be uploaded as “Supplemental File for Review” so that reviewers can view it as a supplemental appendix.
EDITORIAL PROCESS
Submission Process and Peer Review
Because Value in Health Regional Issues uses an article-based publishing model where accepted articles are published without having to wait until a journal issue is complete, authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts on a rolling basis throughout the year. To submit a manuscript for consideration, authors must create an account in the journal’s web-based submission system. For assistance in navigating the online system, authors may contact the Editorial Office at vihrieditor@ispor.org.
Although we recognize that authors never want to hear that their papers are rejected, we also know that they value a fast response time. That said, the editors strive to return decisions on papers that are not sent out for an external peer review within 4 weeks.
On the other hand, all manuscripts that are deemed appropriate for Value in Health Regional Issues after initial screening will be reviewed by at least 2 peer reviewers. The objective of the journal is to complete peer review and reach an editorial decision within 8 to 10 weeks of submission, at which time the corresponding author will receive an email notification of the decision and anonymous feedback from the reviewers.
Please note that all final decisions regarding acceptance or rejection rest solely with the Editor-in-Chief.
ISPOR journals expect the highest ethical standards from their authors, reviewers, and editors when conducting research, submitting papers, and throughout the entire peer review process. Both Value in Health and Value in Health Regional Issues subscribe to the Committee on Publishing Ethics (COPE)8 and supports COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers.9
Acceptance and Publication
Value in Health Regional Issues is an online publication. As a result, accepted articles are published online on the journal’s website and on the Elsevier site immediately after the article has undergone the production process (ie, copyediting, layout, author proofs, corrections, etc).
Although individual articles are published online on a rolling basis throughout the year, “collected articles” are published according to the following schedule:
A collection of articles for the Asia region is published in May
A collection of articles for the Central and Eastern Europe, Western Asia, and Africa region is published in October
A collection of articles for the Latin America region is published in December
PUBLISHING PROCESS
Author Tracking Services
Authors may track accepted articles and set up email alerts to inform them when an article’s status has changed. For any questions arising after acceptance of an article, especially those relating to proofs and open access publishing, please contact the publisher directly.
Proofs
Proofs will be sent electronically to the authors to be checked carefully for printer’s errors. Substantive changes or additions to the edited manuscript are not allowed at this stage. Any changes to authorship (additions, deletions, reorder, etc) or substantial changes in the data or results require review and approval by the editors. Corrected proofs must be returned to the publisher within 48 hours.
Offprints
The corresponding author, at no cost, will be provided with a PDF file of the article via email. For an extra charge, paper offprints can be ordered via the offprint order form which is sent once the article is accepted for publication. The PDF file is a watermarked version of the published article and includes a cover sheet with the journal cover image and a disclaimer outlining the terms and conditions of use.
PUBLISHING POLICIES AND DISCLOSURES
Ethics in Publishing
For information on ethics in publishing and ethical guidelines for journal publications, see: Publishing Ethics and Ethical Guidelines.
Authorship
The recommended number of authors on a paper should not exceed 10. However, Value in Health Regional Issues is aware that sometimes a submitted paper may have a large number of authors, in which case authorship may be assigned to a group rather than to individuals. The Editors reserve the right to seek clarification from the corresponding author if a paper has more than 10 authors, or has a large number of authors in relation to the research reported in the paper.
Value in Health Regional Issues uses the guidance set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICJME) for Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors.10
The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
- Final approval of the version to be published; AND
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Submission Declaration
Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere (either in whole or in part, in print or electronic form, in English or in any other language, etc) without the written consent of the copyright holder.
Open Access
In recent years, the importance to authors of open access has been increased by the policies of major research funders in many countries, requiring that the publications arising from the work they fund should be freely available to all. Authors can read a full description of ISPOR’s approach to open access publication here.
Although Value in Health Regional Issues is a traditional subscription-based journal, authors can choose to pay to have their articles published with open access (immediately and permanently free for everyone to read and download). The current fees for open-access publishing are accessible on the publisher’s website. However, because Value in Health Regional Issues is a Society journal, all the published content automatically becomes open archive (freely accessible to all) 1 year after publication. Therefore, authors needing their articles to be open access to meet the requirements of various research competitions and awards may not need to pay for open access publication in Value in Health Regional Issues, depending on the precise requirements of their research funders.
In addition, the Editor-in-Chief nominates selected articles throughout the year that he believes are likely to have a high impact and therefore merit immediate “free” access on the publisher’s website at https://www.journals.elsevier.com/value-in-health-regional-issues for a specified period of time (ie, 30 days). Access is restricted for the remainder of the 12-month period, after which point the article becomes open archive and freely accessible to all 1 year after publication.
Conflict of Interest and Copyright Assignment Forms
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence (bias) their work. As part of the online submission process, all authors are required to complete and submit the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants or other funding. See also: Conflicts of Interest.
Each author is also required to describe his/her involvement in the work and assign copyright of their papers. Completion of the journal’s Authorship Form is a condition of publication and papers will not be passed to the publisher for production unless the Editorial Office has completed forms on file for each author.
If excerpts from other copyrighted works are included, the author(s) must obtain written permission from the copyright owners and credit the source(s) in the article. Elsevier has preprinted forms for use by authors in these cases; please consult Elsevier Permissions.
Retained Author Rights
As an author you (or your employer or institution) retain certain rights; for details you are referred to Elsevier Author Rights.
Funding Body Agreements and Policy
Elsevier has established agreements and developed policies to allow authors whose articles appear in journals published by Elsevier to comply with potential manuscript archiving requirements as specified as conditions of their grant awards. To learn more about existing agreements and policies, please visit Elsevier Funding Bodies.
Data, Models, and Methodology
All authors must agree to make their data available at the editor’s request for examination and re-analysis by referees or other persons designated by the editor. All models and methodologies must be presented in sufficient detail to be fully comprehensible to readers.
References
- Husereau D, Drummond M, Petrou S, et al. Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS)—Explanation and Elaboration: A Report of the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluation Publication Guidelines Good Reporting Practices Task Force. Value Health. 2013;16(2):231-250.
- Eddy DM, Hollingworth W, Caro JJ, et al. Model Transparency and Validation: A Report of the ISPOR-SMDM Modeling Good Research Practices Task Force-7. Value Health. 2012;15(6):843-850.
- Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, and the PRISMA Group. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151(4):264-269.
- Schulz KF, Altman DG, Moher D, for the CONSORT Group. CONSORT 2010 Statement: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials. BMJ. 2010;340:c332.
- Chalmers I. The Cochrane Collaboration: Preparing, maintaining, and disseminating systematic reviews of the effects of health care. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1993;703: 156-165.
- AMA Manual of Style Committee. AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors. 10th ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2007.
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. Updated December 2018. http://www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf. Accessed June 1, 2019.
- Committee on Publication Ethics. https://publicationethics.org. Accessed June 1, 2019.
- COPE Council. Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. www.publicationethics.org. Version 2. Published September 2017. https://publicationethics.org/files/Ethical_ Guidelines_For_Peer_Reviewers_2.pdf. Accessed June 1, 2019.
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors. http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and- responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html. Accessed June 1, 2019.
Contribute to Value in Health Regional Issues
- Submit a manuscript/revision
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