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Did you know…?

… that from initial discovery in the laboratory it takes on average 12 years to make a medicine available to patients?

Healthy
To make sure that a medicine is effective at fighting disease and safe to consume, pharmaceutical companies have to spend years rigorously testing it in clinical trials. Statisticians have a very important role to play in designing these trials and analysing the data collected to obtain the evidence needed to show the medicines work.

On this site you can explore how statisticians use their mathematical skills to improve patients’ quality of life and to save lives.

Introduction to Clinical Trials

Testing a medicine in clinical trials is a very long and expensive task, requiring pharmaceutical companies, doctors, hospitals, healthy volunteers, and real patients to work together. The video below, made by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), gives an insight into this journey.

Clinical Trial Quick Facts

  • Usually the first people to try out a new medicine are healthy volunteers. Healthy volunteers are used to find the maximum dose the body can tolerate, then this is used in trials on patients.
  • In a ‘gold standard’ clinical trial neither the patient nor the doctor knows whether the drug being administered is the new experimental one or the control treatment. This is called double blinding.
  • Clinical trials tend to be global, enrolling patients from many countries around the world.
  • It costs over $2.5 billion in research and development costs to bring a drug to market to be prescribed to patients.

Upcoming Events

PSI VisSIG Wonderful Wednesdays

Our monthly webinar explores examples of innovative data visualisations relevant to our day to day work. Each month a new dataset is provided from a clinical trial or other relevant example, and participants are invited to submit a graphic that communicates interesting and relevant characteristics of the data.

PSI Pre-Clinical SIG Webinar: Update from the Carcinogenicity working group

This presentation will give some background regarding the ‘Carcinogenicity Statistics Discussion Group’. The talk will review the history of the group, outline the current status, and give an overview of the types of topics discussed.

Adapting to an online world: PSI's journey through 2020/2021 and AGM

This year's Annual General Meeting will focus on how PSI has navigated the challenges of the past year and adapted to the new online world, as well as how we plan to embrace a new Board structure and new opportunities as we move forward.

PSI Journal Club: The Use of External Controls in Clinical Trials

Our next journal club features two papers on the topic of “The Use of External Controls in Clinical Trials”. Please join us to hear Chris Harbron (Roche) and Margaret Gamalo (Pfizer) present their recent work. The webinar will be chaired by Nigel Stallard (Warwick University).

Latest Jobs

All Levels: Biostatisticians and Statistical Programmers, HTA

We’re now searching at all levels for Biostatisticians and Statistical Programmers to join our International BARDS Health Technology Assessment team at our London and Zurich hubs.

Associate Director, Biostatistics

The Associate Director of Biostatistics is the key client interface for all statistical issues and discussions.

Associate Director, Biostatistics, SARC

In this role you will consult in the design of complex and innovative studies and clinical trial programs as well as Leading DMC/DSMB processes.

Associate Director/Director Biostatistics

This is an excellent opportunity for someone that loves working directly with clients, contributing as a high-level project lead and key contributor.

Principal Biostatistician - Immunology, Late Phase

As a seasoned Biostatistician, will work primarily on Immunology: GI and Dermatology trials with a focus on Late Phase studies. Some PK Analysis experience highly desired.

Principal Biostatistician - Oncology

As a seasoned Biostatistician, will work primarily in late phase oncology.

Senior Biostatistician - Safety (FSP)

As an experienced pharmaceutical statistician, you will support Cytel and a client of our Functional Service Provider (FSP) division.

Senior Biostatistician I/II

As a Sr Bios, you will function independently as Lead Statistician on projects and support/project statistician on others.

Senior Manager, Biostatistics (FSP)

As a Sr Mgr, Biostatistics you will manage a team of Statisticians and Programmers within the FSP department, as well as managing project work.

Senior/Principal Biostatistician

As a Senior or Principal Biotatistician, you will hold a combined project leadership and hands-on technical statistics role, working across a range of phases and therapeutic areas.

Senior/Principal Biostatistician - Neuroscience FSP

You will participate in the development of study protocols including participation in study design discussions and sample size calculations, and review CRFs and data review guidelines.

Senior/Principal Statistician

As a Senior or Principal Statistician, you will hold a combined project leadership and hands-on technical statistics role., working across a range of phases and therapeutic areas.

Senior/Principal Statistician

We are looking for passionate and motivated statisticians to work within our Services team to deliver high quality, innovative, analytical services within a clinical setting as our KerusCloud platform moves into the next phase.

Senior/Principal Statistician (Statistical Consulting)

Would you like to join a dynamic, growing firm where you can really make an impact, not just on the company but to accelerate drug development and ultimately benefit patients?

Statistician/Senior Statistician

Have you experience in the application of statistics in the pharmaceutical, healthcare or life science sectors? Do you want to be at the forefront of statistical innovations, leading the way on clinical trial design and analysis?

Statistics Manager

As a Statistics Manager, you will hold a combined line management, project leadership and technical statistical role, working across a range of phases and therapeutic areas.