Safety Scientific Working Group

WS2: Safety Monitoring Statistical Methodology

Workstream Focus: This workstream is focused on methods for quantitative analysis of safety data from various data sources, including clinical trials, postmarketing, and other healthcare data sources. 


  1. Taskforce (TF-1): Benefit risk in multiregional clinical trial
    • Who Are We: An ASA task force looking at quantitative methods applied to benefit risk analysis in multiregional clinical trial settings
    • Purpose: aligned with ICH E17& E9, to provide guidance on benefit risk analysis in multiregional clinical trial settings.
    • Background: Wrote book chapter on benefit risk
    • Our Role: Review literature and case studies on benefit risk in multi-regional clinical trials to prepare and put together content for the 2022 Deming short course. In parallel, will try to draft a white paper (timing to be determined later)

  2. Taskforce (TF-2): Additional reference materials and tools for book chapters
    • Who Are We: An ASA task force looking at quantitative methods applied to safety data in the drug's lifecycle
    • Background: Wrote several book chapters on quantitative methods applied to safety
    • Our Role: Develop training materials and identify/develop tools for implementing these methods outlined in the chapters
    • Connection: We are looking for more participation and input on medical assessment, discernment, and interpretation of these methods in practice

  3. Taskforce (TF-3): Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and deep learning applied to drug safety data - methods, tools, and resources and use cases
  4. Taskforce (TF-4): Visual analytics methods, tools, and resources
    • Who Are We: An ASA task force looking at approaches and use of visual analytics of drug safety and benefit risk data in particular those approaches that incorporate one or more quantitative elements
    • Background: A continuation of the work from the book (Chapter 15) going beyond clinical trial data
    • Our Role: Continue to identify tools, resources, and software for visual analytics of healthcare safety data and creation of training materials and use cases. Develop training materials and identify/develop and share tools for implementing the method and tools via some modality online or manuscript
    • Connection: We are looking for more participation and input on medical understanding, assessment, discernment, and interpretation of these visual analytics and benefit risk methods in practice.

  5. Taskforce (TF-5): Digital health applied to drug safety
    • Who Are We: An ASA task force looking at digital health in the context of drug safety data and methodology for analyzing data obtained using digital media for clinical trial and post-marketing data
    • Background: Digital technologies continue to transform healthcare. Realizing the full potential of digital health can help accelerate the shift towards patient-centered and outcomes-focused access, sustainable healthcare. Regulatory agencies have also taken note of this development (see for example: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/digital-health-center-excellence)
    • Our Role: Review the literature and use case of digital health and methods for analyzing data from digital tools
    • Connection: We are looking for more participation and input on medical understanding, assessment, discernment, and interpretation of these visual analytics and benefit risk methods in practice