Expert Elicitation as a Research Tool

ISAM Global Expert Network (ISAM-GEN) Webinar: Expert Elicitation as a Research Tool; Towards Developing World Addiction Medicine Report

Expert opinion constitutes an important source of information, especially when other types of data are scarce, the issues under discussion are complex and difficult to address with available data, or there is a need for rapid synthesis of information and intervention formulation. The dynamic and complex nature of substance use disorders and behavioural addictions necessitates the formation of global networks which can rapidly identify emerging challenges, synthesize cross-national information, and provide valid consensus opinions on areas of disagreement.

To assess shifts in the patterns of substance use and national service provision to individuals with substance use disorders, an ISAM working group conducted a survey of 185 experts in addiction sciences from 77 countries in 2020. In the next step, it is important to build on this endeavour and develop a global expert infrastructure based around ISAM which can enable valid and reliable expert elicitation and consensus-building.

This webinar aims to discuss the 2020 ISAM global survey project, review the literature on expert surveys and exemplar expert elicitation projects, identify areas for improvement, and outline the potential future directions of the ISAM Global Survey Network.