As reported previously in the Blog, survival modelling has become an important issue in HTA and HEDS is doing a lot of work in this area in terms of methods development and training.
We currently have two projects examing survival modelling; an NIHR Fellowship examining statistical methods for adjusting survival estimates in the presence of treatment crossover and an MRC project in collaboration with the University of York, Cambridge and Leicester that is developing a taxonomy of methods of extrapolating RCT evidence for use in economic models. Contact Nick Latimer about the Fellowship and John Stevens about the MRC project.
As well as this ongoing research, the NICE DSU has published technical guidance on the methods that are available for survival modelling. HEDS also teaches survival modelling on its MSc Health Economics and Decision Modelling and has given training to pharmaceutical companies.
For the future, John Stevens and Ben van Hout are looking for an industry collaborator and sponsor to examine more flexible formulations that are not restricted to the handful offered by the current stats package of choice for this work, STATA.
