Rules of publication

• first and last authors are from the center coordinating the study (i.e. writes the project, the CRF and the manuscript) 
• other authors are listed according to the number of patients included. Second author will be from the center that included the highest number of patients (it can be the coordinating center; in that case, the coordinating center will have 1st and 2nd authorship). Third author will be from the center that included the second highest number of patients, etc. Same rules will be followed for senior authorship. 
• the number of authors per center will vary according to the overall number of patients included in the study. Usually, centers including the highest number of patients will have more authors.
•  A publication will be considered related to a VALDIG study if it has been opened to all VALDIG members (via VALDIG website). In that case, the following statement should be added after authors’ list in the publication, “a study of VALDIG, an EASL consortium”.
• A publication will be considered related to the ERN RARE-LIVER, if it includes information about ERN RARE-LIVER itself or about diseases covered by ERN RARE-LIVER and  if it involves as major contributors at least two different ERN Member States within the ERN RARE-LIVER, and if it acknowledges the ERN RARE-LIVER, as follows “on behalf of the ERN RARE-LIVER”.
• If a publication is about both a VALDIG and ERN study (as defined above), the following statement should be added after authors’ list in the publication, “on behalf of the ERN RARE-LIVER; a study of VALDIG, an EASL consortium”.

Rules of publication