title: Falsification Testing of Instrumental Variables Methods for Comparative Effectiveness Research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate how falsification tests can be used to evaluate instrumental variables methods applicable to a wide variety of comparative effectiveness research questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brief conceptual review of instrumental variables and falsification testing principles and techniques accompanied by an empirical application. Sample STATA code related to the empirical application is provided in the Appendix.
  Comparative long-term risks of sulfonylureas and thiazolidinediones for management of type 2 diabetes. Outcomes include mortality and hospitalization for an ambulatory care-sensitive condition. Prescribing pattern variations are used as instrumental variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Falsification testing is an easily computed and powerful way to evaluate the validity of the key assumption underlying instrumental variables analysis. If falsification tests are used, instrumental variables techniques can help answer a multitude of important clinical questions.
authors: 150 South Huntington Avenue (Mail Stop 152H), Boston, MA, 02130.
authors: Steven D
authors: SD
authors: Pizer
mesh_terms: D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research / Q000379:methods*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012107:Research Design
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents
keywords: Comparative effectiveness research; big data; causal inference; falsification testing; instrumental variables