ELTR Special request guidelines

Regulations for ELTR-based Studies and Publications

1. ELTR data are available to ELITA members whose centres regularly contribute data to the ELTR. Data can be used to perform scientific studies, preferably leading to a publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

• • • Requests from non-ELITA members: Becoming an ELITA member is strongly recommended. Non-members will be asked to pay a fee for the statistical work, and an ELITA Board member should be involved in the study.
    • Requests from non-ELTR centres: An ELTR centre should be involved in the study.
    • Requests from third parties: Third parties will be asked to pay a fee for collecting requested data and/or for statistical evaluation of the work. An ELITA Board member should be involved in a study concerning clinical issues.

2. To obtain data, a written request should be addressed to the ELITA Secretary with a copy to the ELTR Custodian.

The request should contain the following:

• • • Title and description of the study;
    • Supporting letter by the programme director;
    • Names and affiliations of the investigators (depending on the type of the study, max. 2 or 3);
    • A disclosure statement regarding potential conflicts of interest (such as financial affiliations with pharmaceutical companies);
    • ELTR/ELITA Study (ELTR provides a major set of data and performs analysis);
    • ELITA/ELTR Study (ELTR provides more restricted data to the researchers as minimal data set and list of centres, and the researchers perform the analysis themselves).

3. One of the authors should be a recognized specialist in the subject.

4. The ELITA Board decides upon acceptance of the study and assigns one Board member who is the liaison person for the conduct of the study and represents ELITA as a co-author of the study.

5. There are two types of studies:

• • • ELTR/ELITA Study (ELTR provides a major set of data and performs analysis)
    • ELITA/ELTR Study (ELTR provides more restricted data to the researchers as minimal data set and list of centres, and the researchers perform the analysis themselves).

6. Authorship of any publication based on ELTR data (abstracts or full papers) is regulated as follows:

For ELTR/ELITA Studies:

• • • First and the last authorship for researchers performing the study;
    • Co-authorship for the Custodian of ELTR at the second position (in exceptional cases, the exact position defined by the ELITA Board according to the extent of involvement by the ELTR);
    • Co-authorship for the ELITA liaison person at the third position (person who proofreads the paper, controls adequate conductance, and takes care of communication);
    • As many authors as possible (as allowed by the journal), one per centre, according to the number of patients included in the study;
    • After the last author, the statement “for the European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association (ELITA)”;
    • All centres that have participated in the study with patients should be listed in a footnote or appendix, mentioning the programme director and one of the collaborators;
    • These rules also apply when only a part of the published data is available in the ELTR database.

For ELITA/ELTR Studies:

• • • First, second and last authorship for researchers performing the study;
    • Co-authorship for the Custodian of ELTR at the third position (in exceptional cases, the exact position defined by the ELITA Board according to the extent of involvement by the ELTR);
    • Co-authorship for the ELITA liaison person at the fourth position (person who proofreads the paper, controls adequate conductance, and takes care of communication);
    • As many authors as possible (as allowed by the journal), one per centre, according to the number of patients included in the study
    • After the last author, the statement “for the European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association (ELITA)”;
    • All centres that have participated in the study with patients should be listed in a footnote or appendix, mentioning the programme director and one of the collaborators;
    • These rules also apply when only a part of the published data is available in the ELTR database.

7. ELITA requires an update on study activities every 6 months beginning from the date of approval of the study, which has to be sent to the Secretary and the assigned Board member.

8. If no progress has been made with the study for 2 years, the ELITA Board has the right to cancel the study.

9. Manuscripts should always be presented to the ELITA Board for approval before submission.

10. The choice for a journal is made in agreement with the Board of ELITA.

11. If the requested data is not (completely) available in the ELTR database, it is allowed to approach ELTR centres for additional data. A request to the centres should be presented on ELITA/ELTR letterhead and should be co-signed by one of the ELITA Board members and by the ELTR Custodian.

12. Similar rules apply when abstracts are presented to congresses.