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Tazare J, Wang SV, Gini R, Prieto-Alhambra D, Arlett P, Morales Leaver DR, Morton C, Logie J, Popovic J, Donegan K, Schneeweiss S, Douglas I, Schultze A. Sharing Is Caring? International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology Review and Recommendations for Sharing Programming Code. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2024; 33:e5856. [PMID: 39233394 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE There is increasing recognition of the importance of transparency and reproducibility in scientific research. This study aimed to quantify the extent to which programming code is publicly shared in pharmacoepidemiology, and to develop a set of recommendations on this topic. METHODS We conducted a literature review identifying all studies published in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety (PDS) between 2017 and 2022. Data were extracted on the frequency and types of programming code shared, and other key open science practices (clinical codelist sharing, data sharing, study preregistration, and stated use of reporting guidelines and preprinting). We developed six recommendations for investigators who choose to share code and gathered feedback from members of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE). RESULTS Programming code sharing by articles published in PDS ranged from 1.8% in 2017 to 9.5% in 2022. It was more prevalent among articles with a methodological focus, simulation studies, and papers which also shared record-level data. CONCLUSION Programming code sharing is rare but increasing in pharmacoepidemiology studies published in PDS. We recommend improved reporting of whether code is shared and how available code can be accessed. When sharing programming code, we recommend the use of permanent digital identifiers, appropriate licenses, and, where possible, adherence to good software practices around the provision of metadata and documentation, computational reproducibility, and data privacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Tazare
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Shirley V Wang
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rosa Gini
- Agenzia Regionale di Sanità della Toscana, Florence, Italy
| | - Daniel Prieto-Alhambra
- Pharmaco- and Device Epidemiology, Botnar Research Centre, NDORMS, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Data Analytics and Methods Taskforce, Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Peter Arlett
- European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Daniel R Morales Leaver
- European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Division of Population Health and Genomics, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ian Douglas
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Anna Schultze
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Muntner P, Hernandez RK, Kent ST, Browning JE, Gilbertson DT, Hurwitz KE, Jick SS, Lai EC, Lash TL, Monda KL, Rothman KJ, Bradbury BD, Brookhart MA. Staging and clean room: Constructs designed to facilitate transparency and reduce bias in comparative analyses of real-world data. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2024; 33:e5770. [PMID: 38419140 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE We describe constructs designed to protect the integrity of the results from comparative analyses using real-world data (RWD): staging and clean room. METHODS Staging involves performing sequential preliminary analyses and evaluating the population size available and potential bias before conducting comparative analyses. A clean room involves restricted access to data and preliminary results, policies governing exploratory analyses and protocol deviations, and audit trail. These constructs are intended to allow decisions about protocol deviations, such as changes to design or model specification, to be made without knowledge of how they might affect subsequent analyses. We describe an example for implementing staging with a clean room. RESULTS Stage 1 may involve selecting a data source, developing and registering a protocol, establishing a clean room, and applying inclusion/exclusion criteria. Stage 2 may involve attempting to achieve covariate balance, often through propensity score models. Stage 3 may involve evaluating the presence of residual confounding using negative control outcomes. After each stage, check points may be implemented when a team of statisticians, epidemiologists and clinicians masked to how their decisions may affect study outcomes, reviews the results. This review team may be tasked with making recommendations for protocol deviations to address study precision or bias. They may recommend proceeding to the next stage, conducting additional analyses to address bias, or terminating the study. Stage 4 may involve conducting the comparative analyses. CONCLUSIONS The staging and clean room constructs are intended to protect the integrity and enhance confidence in the results of analyses of RWD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Muntner
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Rohini K Hernandez
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Shia T Kent
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - James E Browning
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - David T Gilbertson
- Chronic Disease Research Group, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Susan S Jick
- Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Edward C Lai
- School of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Timothy L Lash
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Keri L Monda
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Kenneth J Rothman
- RTI Health Solutions, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brian D Bradbury
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - M Alan Brookhart
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Al-Sahab B, Leviton A, Loddenkemper T, Paneth N, Zhang B. Biases in Electronic Health Records Data for Generating Real-World Evidence: An Overview. JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS RESEARCH 2024; 8:121-139. [PMID: 38273982 PMCID: PMC10805748 DOI: 10.1007/s41666-023-00153-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Electronic Health Records (EHR) are increasingly being perceived as a unique source of data for clinical research as they provide unprecedentedly large volumes of real-time data from real-world settings. In this review of the secondary uses of EHR, we identify the anticipated breadth of opportunities, pointing out the data deficiencies and potential biases that are likely to limit the search for true causal relationships. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the types of biases that arise along the pathways that generate real-world evidence and the sources of these biases. We distinguish between two levels in the production of EHR data where biases are likely to arise: (i) at the healthcare system level, where the principal source of bias resides in access to, and provision of, medical care, and in the acquisition and documentation of medical and administrative data; and (ii) at the research level, where biases arise from the processes of extracting, analyzing, and interpreting these data. Due to the plethora of biases, mainly in the form of selection and information bias, we conclude with advising extreme caution about making causal inferences based on secondary uses of EHRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ban Al-Sahab
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, B100 Clinical Center, 788 Service Road, East Lansing, MI USA
| | - Alan Leviton
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Tobias Loddenkemper
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Nigel Paneth
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI USA
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Biostatistics and Research Design, Institutional Centers of Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
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Weberpals J, Wang SV. The FAIRification of research in real-world evidence: A practical introduction to reproducible analytic workflows using Git and R. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2024; 33:e5740. [PMID: 38173166 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Transparency and reproducibility are major prerequisites for conducting meaningful real-world evidence (RWE) studies that are fit for decision-making. Many advances have been made in the documentation and reporting of study protocols and results, but the principles for version control and sharing of analytic code in RWE are not yet as established as in other quantitative disciplines like computational biology and health informatics. In this practical tutorial, we aim to give an introduction to distributed version control systems (VCS) tailored toward the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reproducible) implementation of RWE studies. To ease adoption, we provide detailed step-by-step instructions with practical examples on how the Git VCS and R programming language can be implemented into RWE study workflows to facilitate reproducible analyzes. We further discuss and showcase how these tools can be used to track changes, collaborate, disseminate, and archive RWE studies through dedicated project repositories that maintain a complete audit trail of all relevant study documents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janick Weberpals
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shirley V Wang
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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de Waure C, Gärtner BC, Lopalco PL, Puig-Barbera J, Nguyen-Van-Tam JS. Real world evidence for public health decision-making on vaccination policies: perspectives from an expert roundtable. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:27-38. [PMID: 38084895 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2290194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Influenza causes significant morbidity and mortality, but influenza vaccine uptake remains below most countries' targets. Vaccine policy recommendations vary, as do procedures for reviewing and appraising the evidence. AREAS COVERED During a series of roundtable discussions, we reviewed procedures and methodologies used by health ministries in four European countries to inform vaccine recommendations. We review the type of evidence currently recommended by each health ministry and the range of approaches toward considering randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and real-world evidence (RWE) studies when setting influenza vaccine recommendations. EXPERT OPINION Influenza vaccine recommendations should be based on data from both RCTs and RWE studies of efficacy, effectiveness, and safety. Such data should be considered alongside health-economic, cost-effectiveness, and budgetary factors. Although RCT data are more robust and less prone to bias, well-designed RWE studies permit timely evaluation of vaccine benefits, effectiveness comparisons over multiple seasons in large populations, and detection of rare adverse events, under real-world conditions. Given the variability of vaccine effectiveness due to influenza virus mutations and increasing diversification of influenza vaccines, we argue that consideration of both RWE and RCT evidence is the best approach to more nuanced and timely updates of influenza vaccine recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara de Waure
- Public Health, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Barbara C Gärtner
- Department and Institute of Microbiology, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany
| | | | - Joan Puig-Barbera
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Region, Valencia, Spain
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Morrato EH, Lennox LA, Dearing JW, Coughlan AT, Gano ES, McFadden D, Mora N, Pincus HA, Firestein GS, Toto R, Reis SE. The Evolve to Next-Gen ACT Network: An evolving open-access, real-world data resource primed for real-world evidence research across the Clinical and Translational Science Award Consortium. J Clin Transl Sci 2023; 7:e224. [PMID: 38028333 PMCID: PMC10643916 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2023.617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The ACT Network was funded by NIH to provide investigators from across the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Consortium the ability to directly query national federated electronic health record (EHR) data for cohort discovery and feasibility assessment of multi-site studies. NIH refunded the program for expanded research application to become "Evolve to Next-Gen ACT" (ENACT). In parallel, the US Food and Drug Administration has been evaluating the use of real-world data (RWD), including EHR data, as sources of real-world evidence (RWE) for its regulatory decisions involving drug and biological products. Using insights from implementation science, six lessons learned from ACT for developing and sustaining RWD/RWE infrastructures and networks across the CTSA Consortium are presented in order to inform ENACT's development from the outset. Lessons include intentional institutional relationship management, end-user engagement, beta-testing, and customer-driven adaptation. The ENACT team is also conducting customer discovery interviews with CTSA hub and investigators using Innovation-Corps@NCATS (I-Corps™) methodology for biomedical entrepreneurs to uncover unmet RWD needs. Possible ENACT value proposition hypotheses are presented by stage of research. Developing evidence about methods for sustaining academically derived data infrastructures and support can advance the science of translation and support our nation's RWD/RWE research capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine H. Morrato
- Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lindsay A. Lennox
- Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - James W. Dearing
- College of Communications, Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Anne T. Coughlan
- Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Doug McFadden
- Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nallely Mora
- Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Harold Alan Pincus
- Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gary S. Firestein
- Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute at the University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Robert Toto
- Center for Translational Medicine, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Steven E. Reis
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Moler-Zapata S, Hutchings A, O'Neill S, Silverwood RJ, Grieve R. Emulating Target Trials With Real-World Data to Inform Health Technology Assessment: Findings and Lessons From an Application to Emergency Surgery. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2023; 26:1164-1174. [PMID: 37164043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2023.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES International health technology assessment (HTA) agencies recommend that real-world data (RWD) are used in some circumstances to add to the evidence base about the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of health interventions. The target trial framework applies the design principles of randomized-controlled trials to RWD and can help alleviate inevitable concerns about bias and design flaws with nonrandomized studies. This article aimed to tackle the lack of guidance and exemplar applications on how this methodology can be applied to RWD to inform HTA decision making. METHODS We use Hospital Episode Statistics data from England on emergency hospital admissions from 2010 to 2019 to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of emergency surgery for 2 acute gastrointestinal conditions. We draw on the case study to describe the main challenges in applying the target trial framework alongside RWD and provide recommendations for how these can be addressed in practice. RESULTS The 4 main challenges when applying the target trial framework to RWD are (1) defining the study population, (2) defining the treatment strategies, (3) establishing time zero (baseline), and (4) adjusting for unmeasured confounding. The recommendations for how to address these challenges, mainly around the incorporation of expert judgment and use of appropriate methods for handling unmeasured confounding, are illustrated within the case study. CONCLUSIONS The recommendations outlined in this study could help future studies seeking to inform HTA decision processes. These recommendations can complement checklists for economic evaluations and design tools for estimating treatment effectiveness in nonrandomized studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Moler-Zapata
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England, UK.
| | - Andrew Hutchings
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England, UK
| | - Stephen O'Neill
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England, UK
| | - Richard J Silverwood
- Centre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL Social Research Institute, University College London, London, England, UK
| | - Richard Grieve
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England, UK
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Laurent T, Lambrelli D, Wakabayashi R, Hirano T, Kuwatsuru R. Strategies to Address Current Challenges in Real-World Evidence Generation in Japan. Drugs Real World Outcomes 2023:10.1007/s40801-023-00371-5. [PMID: 37178273 PMCID: PMC10182751 DOI: 10.1007/s40801-023-00371-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The generation of real-world evidence (RWE), which describes patient characteristics or treatment patterns using real-world data (RWD), is rapidly growing more popular as a tool for decision-making in Japan. The aim of this review was to summarize challenges to RWE generation in Japan related to pharmacoepidemiology, and to propose strategies to address some of these challenges. We first focused on data-related issues, including the lack of transparency of RWD sources, linkage across different care settings, definitions of clinical outcomes, and the overall assessment framework of RWD when used for research purposes. Next the study reviewed methodology-related challenges. As lack of design transparency impairs study reproducibility, transparent reporting of study design is critical for stakeholders. For this review, we considered different sources of biases and time-varying confounding, along with potential study design and methodological solutions. Additionally, the implementation of robust assessment of definition uncertainty, misclassification, and unmeasured confounders would enhance RWE credibility in light of RWD source-related limitations, and is being strongly considered by task forces in Japan. Overall, the development of guidance for best practices on data source selection, design transparency, and analytical methods to address different sources of biases and robustness in the process of RWE generation will enhance credibility for stakeholders and local decision-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Laurent
- Real-World Evidence and Data Assessment (READS), Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
- Clinical Study Support Inc., 2F Daiei Bldg., 1-11-20 Nishiki Naka-ku, Nagoya, 460-0003, Japan
| | - Dimitra Lambrelli
- Real-World Evidence and Data Assessment (READS), Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
- Real-World Evidence, Evidera, The Ark, 2nd Floor, 201 Talgarth Road, London, W6 8BJ, UK
| | - Ryozo Wakabayashi
- Real-World Evidence and Data Assessment (READS), Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
- Clinical Study Support Inc., 2F Daiei Bldg., 1-11-20 Nishiki Naka-ku, Nagoya, 460-0003, Japan
| | - Takahiro Hirano
- Real-World Evidence and Data Assessment (READS), Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
- Clinical Study Support Inc., 2F Daiei Bldg., 1-11-20 Nishiki Naka-ku, Nagoya, 460-0003, Japan.
| | - Ryohei Kuwatsuru
- Real-World Evidence and Data Assessment (READS), Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
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Murphy LA, Akehurst R, Solà-Morales O, Cunningham D, Mestre-Ferrandiz J, Franklin M, de Pouvourville G. Structure and Content of a Taxonomy to Support the Use of Real-World Evidence by Health Technology Assessment Practitioners and Healthcare Decision Makers. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2023; 26:20-31. [PMID: 36706951 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
This is one of a series of articles that consider the barriers to optimal use of real-world evidence (RWE) in health technology assessment and how to overcome them. The work was performed as part of EUreccA 2025, in particular with the RWE workstream embodied within that collaboration. Elsewhere in this issue we described the reasoning and process that led us to develop practical tools to support RWE use, including this taxonomy and explained the methods used to do so. The taxonomy classifies questions that are typically addressed using real-world data in health technology assessment and the data sources typically used to address these questions. In this article, we describe the taxonomy itself. For as many of the pairings as possible, we have provided links to advice and methods on how to address the associated question using those data. We have also provided links to examples of RWE use in practical decision making to answer the questions posed. Our work is not complete, but we believe it is sufficient to demonstrate the value of such a taxonomy and information source if it is completed and curated as a "wiki" by the community that would use it.
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Eichler HG, Kossmeier M, Zeitlinger M, Schwarzer-Daum B. Orphan drugs' clinical uncertainty and prices: Addressing allocative and technical inefficiencies in orphan drug reimbursement. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1074512. [PMID: 36778019 PMCID: PMC9909264 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1074512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Legislations incentivising orphan drug development and scientific advances have made orphan drugs pharma's high-end favourite for the past two decades. Currently, around 50% of new marketing authorizations are for orphan drugs. For third-party healthcare payers ("payers") the rise of orphan drugs presents new challenges, including a high degree of uncertainty around clinical benefits and harms, a moderate effect size (for many orphan drugs), and a high price tag. The association of high clinical uncertainty and moderate effect sizes is not surprising in small target populations but in combination with high prices creates the risk of allocative and technical inefficiencies for payers. We here discuss and illustrate these risks. A combination of policies is needed for mitigation of allocative inefficiency: while there may be a rationale for higher prices for orphan than non-orphan drugs, a focus of pricing and reimbursement negotiations should include considerations of product profitability and of the consequences of orphan drug costs on the distribution inequality of medication costs for individual insured persons, coupled to knowledge generation from reimbursement contracts covering high-price orphan drugs that would benefit the wider patient community. Performance-based managed entry agreements could help to de-risk the economic consequences of clinical uncertainty and to mitigate technical inefficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Markus Zeitlinger
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Wang SV, Pottegård A, Crown W, Arlett P, Ashcroft DM, Benchimol EI, Berger ML, Crane G, Goettsch W, Hua W, Kabadi S, Kern DM, Kurz X, Langan S, Nonaka T, Orsini L, Perez-Gutthann S, Pinheiro S, Pratt N, Schneeweiss S, Toussi M, Williams RJ. HARmonized Protocol Template to Enhance Reproducibility of hypothesis evaluating real-world evidence studies on treatment effects: A good practices report of a joint ISPE/ISPOR task force. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2023; 32:44-55. [PMID: 36215113 PMCID: PMC9771861 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PROBLEM Ambiguity in communication of key study parameters limits the utility of real-world evidence (RWE) studies in healthcare decision-making. Clear communication about data provenance, design, analysis, and implementation is needed. This would facilitate reproducibility, replication in independent data, and assessment of potential sources of bias. WHAT WE DID The International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE) and ISPOR-The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) convened a joint task force, including representation from key international stakeholders, to create a harmonized protocol template for RWE studies that evaluate a treatment effect and are intended to inform decision-making. The template builds on existing efforts to improve transparency and incorporates recent insights regarding the level of detail needed to enable RWE study reproducibility. The overarching principle was to reach for sufficient clarity regarding data, design, analysis, and implementation to achieve 3 main goals. One, to help investigators thoroughly consider, then document their choices and rationale for key study parameters that define the causal question (e.g., target estimand), two, to facilitate decision-making by enabling reviewers to readily assess potential for biases related to these choices, and three, to facilitate reproducibility. STRATEGIES TO DISSEMINATE AND FACILITATE USE Recognizing that the impact of this harmonized template relies on uptake, we have outlined a plan to introduce and pilot the template with key international stakeholders over the next 2 years. CONCLUSION The HARmonized Protocol Template to Enhance Reproducibility (HARPER) helps to create a shared understanding of intended scientific decisions through a common text, tabular and visual structure. The template provides a set of core recommendations for clear and reproducible RWE study protocols and is intended to be used as a backbone throughout the research process from developing a valid study protocol, to registration, through implementation and reporting on those implementation decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Eric I Benchimol
- 1. Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,2. Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada,3. ICES, Toronto, Canada
| | | | | | - Wim Goettsch
- The National Health Care Institute, Diemen, and Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wei Hua
- US Food and Drug Administration
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nicole Pratt
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia
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Wang SV, Sreedhara SK, Bessette LG, Schneeweiss S. Understanding variation in the results of real-world evidence studies that seem to address the same question. J Clin Epidemiol 2022; 151:161-170. [PMID: 36075314 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Multiple database studies on the same question, conducted by different investigators using different approaches or different data sources, can be considered sensitivity analyses for the same causal treatment effect question. We evaluated the contribution of alternative study design parameters and analysis choices to variation in estimates of the risk of major bleeding with dabigatran compared with warfarin. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING We followed a 7-step process: (1) identify published studies asking the same question, (2) independently reproduce selected studies in the same data sources as the original authors, (3) contact original authors, (4) evaluate validity, (5) document critical study parameter specifications, (6) implement a designed matrix of variations in study parameters based on the original studies, and (7) evaluate contributors to variation in results. RESULTS Most variation remained unexplained (60-88%). Of the explained variation, two-thirds were related to data and population differences, and one-third were related to the use of alternative study design and analysis parameters. Among these, the most prominent were differences in outcome algorithms and criteria used to define follow-up. CONCLUSION When making policy decisions based on database study findings, it is important to evaluate the validity, consistency, and robustness of results to alternative design and analysis decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley V Wang
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 1630 Tremont St Suite 303, Boston, MA 02120, USA; Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Lily G Bessette
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sebastian Schneeweiss
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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13
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Wang SV, Pottegård A, Crown W, Arlett P, Ashcroft DM, Benchimol EI, Berger ML, Crane G, Goettsch W, Hua W, Kabadi S, Kern DM, Kurz X, Langan S, Nonaka T, Orsini L, Perez-Gutthann S, Pinheiro S, Pratt N, Schneeweiss S, Toussi M, Williams RJ. HARmonized Protocol Template to Enhance Reproducibility of Hypothesis Evaluating Real-World Evidence Studies on Treatment Effects: A Good Practices Report of a Joint ISPE/ISPOR Task Force. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2022; 25:1663-1672. [PMID: 36241338 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Ambiguity in communication of key study parameters limits the utility of real-world evidence (RWE) studies in healthcare decision-making. Clear communication about data provenance, design, analysis, and implementation is needed. This would facilitate reproducibility, replication in independent data, and assessment of potential sources of bias. METHODS The International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE) and ISPOR-The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) convened a joint task force, including representation from key international stakeholders, to create a harmonized protocol template for RWE studies that evaluate a treatment effect and are intended to inform decision-making. The template builds on existing efforts to improve transparency and incorporates recent insights regarding the level of detail needed to enable RWE study reproducibility. The over-arching principle was to reach for sufficient clarity regarding data, design, analysis, and implementation to achieve 3 main goals. One, to help investigators thoroughly consider, then document their choices and rationale for key study parameters that define the causal question (e.g., target estimand), two, to facilitate decision-making by enabling reviewers to readily assess potential for biases related to these choices, and three, to facilitate reproducibility. STRATEGIES TO DISSEMINATE AND FACILITATE USE Recognizing that the impact of this harmonized template relies on uptake, we have outlined a plan to introduce and pilot the template with key international stakeholders over the next 2 years. CONCLUSION The HARmonized Protocol Template to Enhance Reproducibility (HARPER) helps to create a shared understanding of intended scientific decisions through a common text, tabular and visual structure. The template provides a set of core recommendations for clear and reproducible RWE study protocols and is intended to be used as a backbone throughout the research process from developing a valid study protocol, to registration, through implementation and reporting on those implementation decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley V Wang
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | - Eric I Benchimol
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Wim Goettsch
- The National Health Care Institute, Diemen, The Netherlands; Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wei Hua
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Springs, Maryland, USA
| | - Shaum Kabadi
- Sanofi-Aventis US LLC, North Potomac, Maryland, USA
| | - David M Kern
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Simone Pinheiro
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Springs, Maryland, USA
| | - Nicole Pratt
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, South Australia, Australia
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14
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Husereau D, Drummond M, Augustovski F, de Bekker-Grob E, Briggs AH, Carswell C, Caulley L, Chaiyakunapruk N, Greenberg D, Loder E, Mauskopf J, Mullins CD, Petrou S, Pwu RF, Staniszewska S. Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) 2022 Explanation and Elaboration: A Report of the ISPOR CHEERS II Good Practices Task Force. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2022; 25:10-31. [PMID: 35031088 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2021.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 298] [Impact Index Per Article: 149.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Health economic evaluations are comparative analyses of alternative courses of action in terms of their costs and consequences. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement, published in 2013, was created to ensure health economic evaluations are identifiable, interpretable, and useful for decision making. It was intended as guidance to help authors report accurately which health interventions were being compared and in what context, how the evaluation was undertaken, what the findings were, and other details that may aid readers and reviewers in interpretation and use of the study. The new CHEERS 2022 statement replaces the previous CHEERS reporting guidance. It reflects the need for guidance that can be more easily applied to all types of health economic evaluation, new methods and developments in the field, and the increased role of stakeholder involvement including patients and the public. It is also broadly applicable to any form of intervention intended to improve the health of individuals or the population, whether simple or complex, and without regard to context (such as healthcare, public health, education, and social care). This Explanation and Elaboration Report presents the new CHEERS 2022 28-item checklist with recommendations and explanation and examples for each item. The CHEERS 2022 statement is primarily intended for researchers reporting economic evaluations for peer-reviewed journals and the peer reviewers and editors assessing them for publication. Nevertheless, we anticipate familiarity with reporting requirements will be useful for analysts when planning studies. It may also be useful for health technology assessment bodies seeking guidance on reporting, given that there is an increasing emphasis on transparency in decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don Husereau
- University of Ottawa, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and Institute of Health Economics, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Husereau).
| | | | - Federico Augustovski
- Health Technology Assessment and Health Economics Department of the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS- CONICET), Buenos Aires; University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires; CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Esther de Bekker-Grob
- Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew H Briggs
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England, UK
| | | | - Lisa Caulley
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program and Center for Journalology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ontario, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Dan Greenberg
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, Israel
| | - Elizabeth Loder
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; The BMJ, London, UK
| | - Josephine Mauskopf
- RTI Health Solutions, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - C Daniel Mullins
- School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stavros Petrou
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Raoh-Fang Pwu
- National Hepatitis C Program Office, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Sophie Staniszewska
- Warwick Research in Nursing, University of Warwick Warwick Medical School, Warwick, UK
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Horton DB, Blum MD, Burcu M. Real-World Evidence for Assessing Treatment Effectiveness and Safety in Pediatric Populations. J Pediatr 2021; 238:312-316. [PMID: 34217767 PMCID: PMC8249672 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.06.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B. Horton
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ,Rutgers Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, New Brunswick, NJ,Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ,Reprint requests: Daniel B. Horton, MD, MSCE, Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 112 Paterson St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
| | - Michael D. Blum
- Office of Pharmacovigilance and Epidemiology, Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD
| | - Mehmet Burcu
- Department of Epidemiology, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ
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16
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McGrath LJ, Nielson C, Saul B, Breskin A, Yu Y, Nicolaisen SK, Kilpatrick K, Ghanima W, Christiansen CF, Bahmanyar S, Linder M, Eisen M, Wasser J, Altomare I, Kuter D, Sørensen HT, Kelsh M, Brookhart MA. Lessons Learned Using Real-World Data to Emulate Randomized Trials: A Case Study of Treatment Effectiveness for Newly Diagnosed Immune Thrombocytopenia. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2021; 110:1570-1578. [PMID: 34416023 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory agencies are increasingly considering real-world evidence (RWE) to support label expansions of approved medicines. We conducted a comparative effectiveness study to emulate a proposed randomized trial of romiplostim vs. standard-of-care (SOC) therapy among patients with recently diagnosed (≤12 months) immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), that could support expansion of the romiplostim label. We discuss challenges that we encountered and solutions that were developed to address those challenges. Study size was a primary concern, particularly for romiplostim initiators, given the rarity of ITP and the stringent trial eligibility criteria. For this reason, we leveraged multiple data sources (Nordic Country Patient Registry for Romiplostim; chart review study of romiplostim initiators in Europe; Flatiron Health EMR linked with MarketScan claims). Additionally, unlike the strictly controlled clinical trial setting, platelet counts were not measured at regular intervals in the observational data sources, and therefore the end point of durable platelet response often used in trials could not be reliably measured. Instead, the median platelet count was chosen as the primary end point. Ultimately, while we observed a slightly higher median platelet count in the romiplostim group vs. SOC, precision was limited because of small study size (median difference was 11 × 109 /L (95% CI: -59, 81)). We underscore the importance of conducting comprehensive feasibility assessments to identify fit-for-purpose data sources with sufficient sample size, data elements, and follow-up. Beyond technical challenges, we also discuss approaches to increase the credibility of RWE, including systematic incorporation of clinical expertise into study design decisions, and separation between decision makers and the data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carrie Nielson
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | | | | | - Ying Yu
- NoviSci, Inc, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sia K Nicolaisen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Karynsa Kilpatrick
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - Waleed Ghanima
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Shahram Bahmanyar
- Clinical Epidemiology Division & Center for Pharmacoepidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marie Linder
- Clinical Epidemiology Division & Center for Pharmacoepidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Melissa Eisen
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | | | | | - David Kuter
- Department of Hematology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Henrik T Sørensen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Michael Kelsh
- Center for Observational Research, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
| | - M Alan Brookhart
- NoviSci, Inc, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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