About IAHPR

About the Academy

Established on 15 April 2014, the International Academy of Health Preference Research (IAHPR) is a member-driven, inter-generational organization that promotes educational activities and research with respect to health and health-related preferences. To assure independence between scientific and institutional decisions, the Academy is comprised of two separate 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations: the Association and the Foundation.

At present, the Foundation Board has four directors: Jennifer Whitty, Jason Ong, Jorien Veldwijk, Marco Boeri, and Juan Marcos González Sepúlveda.

Our aim is to improve decisions about health and healthcare throughout the world by developing, promoting, and supporting health preference research with the widest possible applicability.

Our mission is:

• To provide leadership in health preference research;
• To promote the products and services developed by IAHPR and its members and to support individuals and organizations across the world seeking to use them;
• To foster and support an international community of researchers whose activities support health preference research;
• To ensure access to the accumulated research expertise of IAHPR members and to actively promote the transfer of knowledge, evidence, and technologies regarding the use, analysis, and interpretation of health preference research;
• To support promising early-career researchers in the field of health preference research through involvement in IAHPR activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why become a member of the Academy?

A: Join the global home for health preference researchers.

IAHPR brings together researchers, clinicians, industry scientists, regulators, HTA experts, decision-makers and patient/public research partners who are advancing the science and application of health preference research around the world.

Whether you are just starting your career or are an established leader, membership connects you to an international community committed to improving healthcare decisions through robust preference evidence.

As an IAHPR member, you can:

Connect with a global community

IAHPR is more than a professional society, it is a welcoming international network built on collaboration, participation and the shared goal of improving healthcare through better understanding of the preferences of patients, providers and other stakeholders who shape health outcomes.

Become part of an international network of experts working across academia, industry, government and healthcare to advance health preference research.

Learn from leaders in the field and stay at the forefront of the science

Access cutting-edge scientific discussions, methodological innovations and practical applications through IAHPR meetings, seminar series, workshops and educational activities.

Receive updates on emerging methods, best practices, educational resources and developments shaping health preference research internationally.

Build lasting collaborations

Meet collaborators for research projects, grant applications, multi-country studies and methodological initiatives.

Advance your career

Present your work to an engaged international community, receive valuable feedback from experts across disciplines, and build your professional profile through scientific discussions, international collaborations and working groups.

Support the next generation

Mentor early-career researchers or find mentors yourself and contribute to building the future of the field.

Shape the future of the discipline and make a global impact

Help advance methodological standards, promote high-quality research, and strengthen the role of health preference evidence in healthcare decision-making, while ensuring patient preferences are meaningfully incorporated into research, policy and clinical practice worldwide. Be part of scientific committees and working groups that develop consensus papers, methodological guidance, and other resources that help define good practice and guide the development of the discipline.

Access exclusive member publications

Receive access to The Patient (https://link.springer.com/journal/40271), the leading international journal dedicated to patient-centred outcomes research, health preference research and shared decision-making. Stay up to date with the latest methodological advances and real-world applications from across the globe.

Q: How can I become a member?

A: Membership in the International Academy of Health Preference Research (IAHPR) may be established through either of the following pathways.

1. Membership through payment of a membership fee and service in a supporting role

Individuals may qualify for membership by paying the applicable membership fee and contributing to IAHPR through a recognized supporting role.

IAHPR offers both one-year and three-year membership options:

The three-year membership provides a modest discount relative to purchasing three consecutive one-year memberships and is intended to encourage longer-term engagement with the organization.

Membership fees may be paid during conference registration or through another payment mechanism approved by the IAHPR Board. Membership is not dependent on attendance at the annual IAHPR meeting, allowing individuals to maintain continuous membership even if they are unable to attend a meeting during a particular year.

Members are also eligible for a discount on registration for the annual IAHPR meeting. The current annual registration discounts are:

• • Students: $50
  • Nonstudents: $85

The conference-registration discount is one of several benefits associated with IAHPR membership and may be reviewed or modified by the Board as registration fees and organizational needs change.

Recognized supporting roles may include:

• • presenting research, methods work, or other scholarly content at an IAHPR meeting;
  • reviewing abstracts or other submissions for an IAHPR meeting;
  • assisting with conference activities or programming;
  • participating as a member of an IAHPR committee or working group;
  • contributing to educational, communications, membership, or outreach activities;
  • supporting an IAHPR-sponsored initiative, project, or event; or
  • providing another substantive contribution recognized by the IAHPR Board.

For this pathway, membership requires payment of the applicable membership fee and an honor-system attestation that the individual has completed, or is actively participating in, at least one recognized supporting role during the applicable membership period.

2. Membership through service in a leadership role

Individuals may also qualify for membership through active service in a recognized leadership role within IAHPR. Individuals qualifying through this pathway are not required to pay a separate membership fee while serving in the qualifying leadership role.

Qualifying leadership roles may include:

• • serving as an elected or appointed member of the IAHPR Board;
  • serving as Chair, Co-Chair, President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, or another officer of the organization;
  • serving as Chair or Co-Chair of an IAHPR annual meeting or conference organizing committee;
  • chairing or co-chairing a standing or ad hoc IAHPR committee;
  • chairing or coordinating an official IAHPR working group;
  • leading an IAHPR-sponsored educational, scientific, membership, communications, or outreach initiative;
  • serving as the designated lead for an official IAHPR project, task force, or special initiative; or
  • holding another leadership responsibility formally designated by the IAHPR Board.

Because these roles are formal and visible to the Board, membership through leadership service may be confirmed directly through existing organizational records.

Membership through this pathway applies for the duration of the qualifying leadership role and through the remainder of the membership year in which that service concludes.

Membership Benefits

Individuals who meet either of the membership pathways above are considered IAHPR members and are eligible for membership benefits, which may include:

• • discounted registration for the annual IAHPR meeting;
  • voting in IAHPR elections;
  • eligibility to serve in elected or appointed roles;
  • participation in committees, working groups, and other organizational activities;
  • access to member-specific communications, educational activities, or networking opportunities; and
  • other benefits or opportunities designated by the IAHPR Board.

The IAHPR Board may review and confirm membership status as needed and may periodically revise membership fees, conference-registration discounts, qualifying activities, and membership benefits to reflect the needs of the organization.