Methods, Statistics & Programming Working Group (MSP WG)

VAC4EU conducts primarily real-world evidence (RWE) studies. In other words, electronic healthcare data from various sources is re-used for the purpose of answering a research question. First, the Data Expert & Access Partners (DEAPs) extract the data and load it to a Common Data Model (CDM). Then, statisticians and programmers use R to produce analytical scripts to run against the CDM and generate estimates tailored to answering the research question(s) of the study. You can learn more about the study pipeline here. 

The MSP WG exists as a shared space for statisticians and programmers to discuss issues relevant across different studies. These include logistical matters, such as developing guidelines and standard operating procedures, but also methodological issues. For example, a taskforce was formed to evaluate the best approach to produce synthetic data for central programming.