The aim of this course is to equip you with a basic understanding of pharmacoepidemiology. By the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Describe the main study designs used in pharmacoepidemiology and understand their strengths and limitations.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the epidemiological and statistical theory underpinning the conduct, analysis, reporting, and interpretation of pharmacoepidemiological studies.
• Critically assess key components of published pharmacoepidemiological studies, including the research question, study design, methods, statistical analysis, and interpretation.

Why study with us?

We are global leaders in training the next generation of experts in drug safety and effectiveness. Since 1998, our courses in pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacovigilance have helped students and professionals worldwide build the skills and confidence to evaluate medicines using real-world data, critically appraise evidence, and contribute to regulatory and clinical decision-making. With alumni in over 50 countries, our training supports career growth across the pharmaceutical industry, government agencies, and academia.

Our courses are developed and delivered by the EHR Research Group, a team internationally recognised for its work in pharmacoepidemiology and the use of large-scale health data to improve patient care and policy. We work closely with experts from regulatory bodies, universities, and industry to ensure our teaching is practical, current, and globally relevant. Whether you are new to the field, advancing your career, or preparing for your next step, you will gain practical skills and knowledge that open doors to a wide range of opportunities in pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacovigilance.

What topics are covered?

• Introduction to and critical appraisal of randomised clinical trials.
• Observational study design (cohort and case-control studies).
• Essential statistics (summarising data, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, p-values).
• Measures of outcome occurrence and effect.
• Power calculations and sample size.
• Sources of error in observational studies.
• Confounding and interaction.
• Selection and information bias.
• Assessing causality in pharmacoepidemiological studies.
• Choosing the right data source for real-world studies.
• Critical appraisal of published cohort and case-control studies.

Course delivery

All teaching will be delivered online and consists of:

• Self-study materials (e.g., pre-recorded lectures).
• Synchronous live sessions (e.g., Q&A, group discussions, practical sessions).

The course is tentatively set to run 9:30-16:30 UK time daily, with morning and afternoon sessions spread over five days. This includes time to work through the self-study materials. Synchronous live sessions provide students the opportunity to apply and discuss concepts introduced in the self-study materials.

While attending all live sessions is not mandatory, students who attend will get the most out of the course. Most lectures are pre-recorded and made available on the course website a week before the course starts. Live sessions (except for practicals) will be recorded and made available to students within 24 hours. Practicals will not be recorded; however, solution sets to all practicals are made available immediately following each practical to allow students to work through the materials in their own time. Students can access an online forum on the course website to post questions about any of the course materials to the course tutors during the course.

Assessment

There is no formal assessment. However, students who attend a majority of the live sessions and engage with the self-study materials may request a Certificate of Attendance.

Students seeking formal assessment and certification can register for the Professional Certificate in Pharmacoepidemiology & Pharmacovigilance.

Teaching faculty

This course is developed and delivered by a diverse team of world-leading researchers and educators at LSHTM, a global centre of excellence in public health, epidemiology, and health data science. In addition, students will benefit from the insights of senior guest lecturers working at the forefront of pharmacoepidemiology and real-world evidence at academic and non-academic institutions around the world.