Event

Design target trial emulation studies for high-quality real-world evidence generation

This course introduces the principles and practical application of target trial emulation (TTE) for generating robust real-world evidence. Participants learn how to design fit-for-purpose studies by aligning key design elements, minimizing common sources of bias, and applying methodological best practices for external control arms, hybrid trial designs, and other observational research settings.

Technical topics include:

• Core principles of target trial emulation and causal study design
• Selection of eligibility criteria, index dates, and follow-up periods
• Common time-related biases, including immortal time bias, left truncation, and informative censoring
• Strategies for confounding control, including approaches for time-varying confounding

This course includes tools and concepts that can be immediately applied, including:

• A structured decision framework for selecting appropriate index dates
• Practical approaches for designing credible, decision-ready TTE studies
• Interactive case studies demonstrating the impact of study design decisions on real-world evidence
• Interpretation of survival curves, hazard ratios, covariate balance, and weighting diagnostics to evaluate study quality

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*Conference attendance is not required to attend an ISPOR Short Course. Separate registration is required for conference attendees.

Visit the ISPOR Europe 2026 Program page to view all short courses offered.

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