Joint Statement of Principles

Statement of Principles from the Editorial Boards of Leading Health Economics Journals
May 21, 2025

As academic independence and freedom of expression face increasing threats across many countries and institutions, we affirm our unwavering commitment to the principles of rigorous, open, and inclusive scientific inquiry.

As editors and members of the governing boards of leading health economics journals, we stand united in our dedication to editorial autonomy and to the advancement of scholarship based solely on significance, research integrity, and methodological rigor. In an era when ideological and political pressures—subtle or overt—are growing across diverse contexts, we believe it is essential to reassert the foundations upon which our field is built.

Because transparency is central to our mission, we take this opportunity to declare the universal value of free, critical, and independent scholarly discourse, and to state the following core principles:

• We affirm the importance of health economics research that rigorously investigates the many structural, demographic, and social determinants that shape health and health care access and their effects on economies. We welcome work that brings critical, evidence-based insight to issues affecting diverse populations.

• The sole basis for accepting manuscripts for publication in our journals is adherence to high standards of scientific rigor, as evaluated through a fair and thorough peer-review process. Editorial decisions are never contingent upon political, ideological, or institutional preferences.

• We commit to transparency in documenting and disclosing any attempts—by governments, organizations, or individuals—to improperly influence the editorial or review processes in our journals.

• We will actively resist any efforts at censorship or interference and will maintain established, publicly documented editorial standards that safeguard the independence and integrity of our publications.

Through these principles and practices, we reaffirm our dedication to advancing scholarship that contributes to the public good, that rests on the careful application of economic reasoning and evidence, and that reflects the intellectual independence necessary for the health and vitality of our discipline.

On Behalf of the Editorial Boards of:

American Journal of Health Economics

Economics & Human Biology

Forum for Health Economics & Policy

Health Economics

Health Economics, Policy and Law

Health Economics Review

International Journal of Health Economics and Management