title: [Future Perspective of Pharmacoepidemiology in the "Big Data Era" and the Growth of Information Sources].
abstract: The arrival of new drug into the market requires many years of previous research along with the need of continuous evaluation throughout the lifetime of the drug. This warrants pharmacoepidemiological research which may be defined as the study of the use and the effects of drugs in large populations. Nowadays this type of research seems more feasible thanks to the massive expansion of the information sources and data (e.g: clinical patient registries, electronic medical records). However there is a risk of information overload, fragmented evidence and given the enthusiasm aroused by the "Big Data", it must be emphasized that its nature is mainly observational, and therefore subject to bias and confusion. The application of epidemiological methods in this scenario seems essential for any analysis. In short, the management and use of these data sources to generate useful information expansion is the next challenge for the application of research methods in modern pharmacoepidemiology.
authors.affiliation: División de Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia. Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios (AEMPS). Madrid. España.dmacias.sg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Macías Saint-Gerons
authors.affiliation: Área de Estabilidad Presupuestaria. Subdirección General de Análisis Presupuestario y Organización Institucional del Sector Público Autonómico. Secretaría General de Coordinación Autonómica y Local. Ministerio de Hacienda y Administraciones Públicas. Madrid. España.
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de la Fuente Honrubia
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacología. Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. España.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Andrés Trelles
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI). Ottawa. Ontario. Canadá.|Fundación Instituto de Investigación en Servicios de Salud. Valencia. España.|Departamento de Medicina. Universidad de Valencia/Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA y CIBERSAM. Valencia. España.
authors.forename: Ferrán Catalá-López
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catalá-López
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D066264:Datasets as Topic; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D006801:Humans; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology / Q000379:methods*; D012042:Registries; D012107:Research Design
keywords: Information Systems (1966-1968); Medical Informatics; Medical Records; Pharmacoepidemiology; Prescription Drugs; Registries; Technology, Pharmaceutical