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‘Managing values’ in health economics modelling: Philosophical and practical considerations

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  • Harvard, Stephanie
  • Winsberg, Eric B.

Abstract

Stakeholder involvement has been proposed as a key strategy for appropriately managing value-laden decisions or ‘value judgments’ in health economics modelling. Philosophers of science, however, conceive of stakeholder involvement in research in conflicting ways, and also propose alternative strategies for ‘managing values’ in science. Furthermore, all proposed strategies for managing values in science raise philosophical questions and practical challenges that are difficult to resolve. As a result, health economists who seek to appropriately inform value judgments in modelling must currently go without straightforward guidance. There is a need to further explore how health economists should manage value judgments in modelling, taking into account philosophical debates and contextual constraints. This paper discusses core proposals for managing values in science and identifies philosophical questions and practical challenges these proposals leave unresolved. It further considers how this could potentially inform processes to manage value judgments in health economics modelling, using examples from an ongoing modelling project called LEAP (Lifetime Exposures and Asthma Outcomes Projection). We conclude that all strategies to ‘manage values’ in health economics modelling have strengths and weaknesses, but are generally compatible with one another, suggesting that health economists may use a combination of strategies. Further research is needed to explore the effects of strategies to ‘manage values’ in health economics modelling.

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  • Harvard, Stephanie & Winsberg, Eric B., 2024. "‘Managing values’ in health economics modelling: Philosophical and practical considerations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:358:y:2024:i:c:s027795362400710x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117256
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    2. Stephanie Harvard & Gregory R. Werker, 2021. "Health Economists on Involving Patients in Modeling: Potential Benefits, Harms, and Variables of Interest," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 39(7), pages 823-833, July.
    3. Richard Z. Xie & Erica deFur Malik & Mark T. Linthicum & Jennifer L. Bright, 2021. "Putting Stakeholder Engagement at the Center of Health Economic Modeling for Health Technology Assessment in the United States," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 39(6), pages 631-638, June.
    4. Stephanie Harvard & Eric Winsberg, 2023. "Patient and Public Involvement in Health Economics Modelling Raises the Need for Normative Guidance," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 41(7), pages 733-740, July.
    5. Stephanie Harvard, 2024. "Making Decision Models Fit for Purpose: The Importance of Ensuring Stakeholder Involvement," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 249-252, March.
    6. Stephanie Harvard & Amin Adibi & Adam Easterbrook & Gregory R. Werker & David Murphy & Don Grant & Alison Mclean & Zhina Majdzadeh & Mohsen Sadatsafavi, 2022. "Developing an Online Infrastructure to Enhance Model Accessibility and Validation: The Peer Models Network," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 40(10), pages 1005-1009, October.
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    13. Harvard, Stephanie & Winsberg, Eric & Symons, John & Adibi, Amin, 2021. "Value judgments in a COVID-19 vaccination model: A case study in the need for public involvement in health-oriented modelling," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
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    1. Isabella Carnovale & Kevin Elliott & Ian Kerridge & Wendy Lipworth, 2026. "Improving Consumer Engagement in Health Technology Assessment and Decision Making: Lessons from ‘Values in Science’," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 247-260, March.
    2. Stephanie Harvard & Rachel Carter & Sian Hoe Cheong & Tony Lanier & Zainab Zeyan & Amin Adibi & Spencer Lee & Cristina Novacovik & Mark Ewert & Eric B. Winsberg & Kate M. Johnson, 2026. "The ‘Values in Modelling’ Framework for Patient and Public Involvement in Health Economics Modelling: Development and Application in the LEAP Model Project," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 115-139, February.

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