Pharmacoepidemiology and Evidence Based Medicine

Abstract

Introduction of principles of pharmacoepidemiology and epidemdiology in addressing drug related questions in the population and of epidemiologic perspectives for health care managementIn parallel appropriate tools to critique pharmacoepidemiologic studies in medical literature will be given and applied.

Objective

Objectives: To familiarize participants with the principles of pharmacoepidemiology and epidemiology in addressing drug related questions with concern to the use, effects and risks of medicinal products in a large population. To introduce participants to fundamental statistical, economic and epidemiological concepts and methods. To provide the appropriate tools to critique pharmacoepidemiologic studies in the literature and to critically read and understand papers in the medical literature which relate to drug benefits, risks, and costs. To address controversial topics in drug use and benefit-risk assessment, and to critically appraise the outcome of drug therapy. To equip participants with skills to facilitate further studies in these areas.

Content

The contribution of epidemiology to the study of drug uses, effects and risks: - Pharmacoepidemiology study methodologies, concepts and strategies, - Detection and identification of uninteded drug effects (pharmacovigilance), - Quantifying uninteded effects and drug interactions, - Pharmacogenetic and biologic markers of unintended drug effects, - Bias and confounding by indication, - Drug utilization - Large automated databases and propensity scores. Pharmacoepidemiology and outcome assessment of drug therapy. Meta-analysis in pharmacoepidemiology. Pharmacoepidemiology and regulatory decision making in drug safety.

Resources