Transparently, with Validation

Abstract

The ISPOR/SMDM guidelines for best practices in decision model transparency and validation, published in this issue, provide a solid scientific foundation for lively conversation about these important topics. No model should be approached imprudently, and these recommendations ably outline necessary components of critical appraisal. Still, there is much more to this topic: more to say about decision models and their purpose, more to consider about transparency, and more to do before we reach the point at which decision makers can reasonably determine whether a given model is ‘‘valid enough’’ for their purposes.