Table 1 Evidence score of publications reviewed (see Beatty et al. (2011) [2])

I

Evaluation of important alternative interventions comparing all clinically-relevant outcomes against appropriate cost measures, and including a clinically-relevant sensitivity analysis

II

Evaluation of important alternative interventions comparing a limited number of outcomes against appropriate cost measurement, but including a clinically-sensible sensitivity analysis

III

Evaluation of important alternative interventions comparing all clinically-relevant outcomes against inappropriate cost measurement, but including a clinically-sensible sensitivity analysis

IV

Evaluation without a clinically-sensible sensitivity analysis

V

Expert opinion with no explicit critical appraisal, based on economic theory

UE

Ungraded evidence