About the Clearinghouse

Purpose: The Open-Source Model Clearinghouse is a source code repository for computer simulations developed to support original economic assessments of health interventions.  We have the following goals:

• Improve model credibility – Interested parties can check model implementation and how sensitive model results are to alternative assumptions.

• Increase research efficiency – Investigators can focus efforts on enhancing models or developing versions applicable to new settings, rather than on reproducing software already developed by others.

• Facilitate adherence to standards calling for open disclosure of scientific software. 

Considerations:

• We do not evaluate the correctness or quality of posted models.  We hope that posting models will facilitate “crowd-sourcing” of model review by individuals interested in each particular model’s problem area.  We believe these reviews will help model authors improve the quality of their work.

• We do not require model documentation.  Additional requirements would likely discourage model posting.  Moreover, authors wishing to increase the credibility of their work have an incentive to provide enough documentation for others to follow it.

• Model authors can update posted models.

Future directions: We plan to enhance the Clearinghouse platform to facilitate public comment on models.