U.S. regulatory considerations and case studies for rare diseases
In this talk, I will present an overview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s policies and practices for encouraging development of products for rare diseases and of evaluating clinical evidence for the safety and effectiveness of such products. I’ll discuss study designs that may be particularly appropriate for rare disease product development, and address some of their statistical implications. Finally, I’ll present case studies of products that were approved for rare diseases using unusual or innovative study designs and/or regulatory pathways.
John Scott is Deputy Director of the Division of Biostatistics in the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, where he has also served as a statistical reviewer for blood products and for cellular, tissue and gene therapies. Prior to joining the FDA in 2008, he worked in psychiatric clinical trials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and did neuroimaging research with the Neurostatistics Laboratory at McClean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles in areas including Bayesian and adaptive clinical trial design and analysis, drug and vaccine safety, data and text mining, and benefit-risk assessment. He holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. in Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis, and is an associate editor of the journal, Pharmaceutical Statistics.
Bayesian methods for the design and interpretation of clinical trials in rare diseases
For studies in rare diseases, the sample size needed to meet a conventional frequentist power requirement can be daunting, even if patients are to be recruited over several years. Rather, the expectation of any such trial has to be limited to the generation of an improved understanding of treatment options. We propose Bayesian approaches for the conduct of rare disease trials comparing an experimental treatment with a control when the primary endpoint is binary or normally distributed. We describe processes which can be used to systematically elicit from clinicians opinions on treatment efficacy in order to establish Bayesian priors for unknown model parameters. The proposed approaches are illustrated by describing applications to two Bayesian randomised controlled trials, namely a study in childhood polyarteritis nodosa and a study in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. Once prior distributions have been established, consideration of the extent to which opinion can be changed, even by the best feasible design, can help to determine whether a small trial is worthwhile.
Lisa Hampson is a Lecturer in Statistics at Lancaster University. Her research interests are in clinical trials, including group sequential tests and Bayesian methods for trials in rare diseases and dose-escalation. Her recent research has focused on developing methods for clinical trials of new medicines for children. She holds a PhD in Statistics from the University of Bath.
U.S. regulatory considerations and case studies for rare diseases
In this talk, I will present an overview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s policies and practices for encouraging development of products for rare diseases and of evaluating clinical evidence for the safety and effectiveness of such products. I’ll discuss study designs that may be particularly appropriate for rare disease product development, and address some of their statistical implications. Finally, I’ll present case studies of products that were approved for rare diseases using unusual or innovative study designs and/or regulatory pathways.
John Scott is Deputy Director of the Division of Biostatistics in the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, where he has also served as a statistical reviewer for blood products and for cellular, tissue and gene therapies. Prior to joining the FDA in 2008, he worked in psychiatric clinical trials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and did neuroimaging research with the Neurostatistics Laboratory at McClean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles in areas including Bayesian and adaptive clinical trial design and analysis, drug and vaccine safety, data and text mining, and benefit-risk assessment. He holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. in Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis, and is an associate editor of the journal, Pharmaceutical Statistics.
Bayesian methods for the design and interpretation of clinical trials in rare diseases
For studies in rare diseases, the sample size needed to meet a conventional frequentist power requirement can be daunting, even if patients are to be recruited over several years. Rather, the expectation of any such trial has to be limited to the generation of an improved understanding of treatment options. We propose Bayesian approaches for the conduct of rare disease trials comparing an experimental treatment with a control when the primary endpoint is binary or normally distributed. We describe processes which can be used to systematically elicit from clinicians opinions on treatment efficacy in order to establish Bayesian priors for unknown model parameters. The proposed approaches are illustrated by describing applications to two Bayesian randomised controlled trials, namely a study in childhood polyarteritis nodosa and a study in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. Once prior distributions have been established, consideration of the extent to which opinion can be changed, even by the best feasible design, can help to determine whether a small trial is worthwhile.
Lisa Hampson is a Lecturer in Statistics at Lancaster University. Her research interests are in clinical trials, including group sequential tests and Bayesian methods for trials in rare diseases and dose-escalation. Her recent research has focused on developing methods for clinical trials of new medicines for children. She holds a PhD in Statistics from the University of Bath.
U.S. regulatory considerations and case studies for rare diseases
In this talk, I will present an overview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s policies and practices for encouraging development of products for rare diseases and of evaluating clinical evidence for the safety and effectiveness of such products. I’ll discuss study designs that may be particularly appropriate for rare disease product development, and address some of their statistical implications. Finally, I’ll present case studies of products that were approved for rare diseases using unusual or innovative study designs and/or regulatory pathways.
John Scott is Deputy Director of the Division of Biostatistics in the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, where he has also served as a statistical reviewer for blood products and for cellular, tissue and gene therapies. Prior to joining the FDA in 2008, he worked in psychiatric clinical trials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and did neuroimaging research with the Neurostatistics Laboratory at McClean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles in areas including Bayesian and adaptive clinical trial design and analysis, drug and vaccine safety, data and text mining, and benefit-risk assessment. He holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. in Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis, and is an associate editor of the journal, Pharmaceutical Statistics.
Bayesian methods for the design and interpretation of clinical trials in rare diseases
For studies in rare diseases, the sample size needed to meet a conventional frequentist power requirement can be daunting, even if patients are to be recruited over several years. Rather, the expectation of any such trial has to be limited to the generation of an improved understanding of treatment options. We propose Bayesian approaches for the conduct of rare disease trials comparing an experimental treatment with a control when the primary endpoint is binary or normally distributed. We describe processes which can be used to systematically elicit from clinicians opinions on treatment efficacy in order to establish Bayesian priors for unknown model parameters. The proposed approaches are illustrated by describing applications to two Bayesian randomised controlled trials, namely a study in childhood polyarteritis nodosa and a study in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. Once prior distributions have been established, consideration of the extent to which opinion can be changed, even by the best feasible design, can help to determine whether a small trial is worthwhile.
Lisa Hampson is a Lecturer in Statistics at Lancaster University. Her research interests are in clinical trials, including group sequential tests and Bayesian methods for trials in rare diseases and dose-escalation. Her recent research has focused on developing methods for clinical trials of new medicines for children. She holds a PhD in Statistics from the University of Bath.
U.S. regulatory considerations and case studies for rare diseases
In this talk, I will present an overview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s policies and practices for encouraging development of products for rare diseases and of evaluating clinical evidence for the safety and effectiveness of such products. I’ll discuss study designs that may be particularly appropriate for rare disease product development, and address some of their statistical implications. Finally, I’ll present case studies of products that were approved for rare diseases using unusual or innovative study designs and/or regulatory pathways.
John Scott is Deputy Director of the Division of Biostatistics in the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, where he has also served as a statistical reviewer for blood products and for cellular, tissue and gene therapies. Prior to joining the FDA in 2008, he worked in psychiatric clinical trials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and did neuroimaging research with the Neurostatistics Laboratory at McClean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles in areas including Bayesian and adaptive clinical trial design and analysis, drug and vaccine safety, data and text mining, and benefit-risk assessment. He holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. in Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis, and is an associate editor of the journal, Pharmaceutical Statistics.
Bayesian methods for the design and interpretation of clinical trials in rare diseases
For studies in rare diseases, the sample size needed to meet a conventional frequentist power requirement can be daunting, even if patients are to be recruited over several years. Rather, the expectation of any such trial has to be limited to the generation of an improved understanding of treatment options. We propose Bayesian approaches for the conduct of rare disease trials comparing an experimental treatment with a control when the primary endpoint is binary or normally distributed. We describe processes which can be used to systematically elicit from clinicians opinions on treatment efficacy in order to establish Bayesian priors for unknown model parameters. The proposed approaches are illustrated by describing applications to two Bayesian randomised controlled trials, namely a study in childhood polyarteritis nodosa and a study in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. Once prior distributions have been established, consideration of the extent to which opinion can be changed, even by the best feasible design, can help to determine whether a small trial is worthwhile.
Lisa Hampson is a Lecturer in Statistics at Lancaster University. Her research interests are in clinical trials, including group sequential tests and Bayesian methods for trials in rare diseases and dose-escalation. Her recent research has focused on developing methods for clinical trials of new medicines for children. She holds a PhD in Statistics from the University of Bath.
U.S. regulatory considerations and case studies for rare diseases
In this talk, I will present an overview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s policies and practices for encouraging development of products for rare diseases and of evaluating clinical evidence for the safety and effectiveness of such products. I’ll discuss study designs that may be particularly appropriate for rare disease product development, and address some of their statistical implications. Finally, I’ll present case studies of products that were approved for rare diseases using unusual or innovative study designs and/or regulatory pathways.
John Scott is Deputy Director of the Division of Biostatistics in the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, where he has also served as a statistical reviewer for blood products and for cellular, tissue and gene therapies. Prior to joining the FDA in 2008, he worked in psychiatric clinical trials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and did neuroimaging research with the Neurostatistics Laboratory at McClean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles in areas including Bayesian and adaptive clinical trial design and analysis, drug and vaccine safety, data and text mining, and benefit-risk assessment. He holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. in Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis, and is an associate editor of the journal, Pharmaceutical Statistics.
Bayesian methods for the design and interpretation of clinical trials in rare diseases
For studies in rare diseases, the sample size needed to meet a conventional frequentist power requirement can be daunting, even if patients are to be recruited over several years. Rather, the expectation of any such trial has to be limited to the generation of an improved understanding of treatment options. We propose Bayesian approaches for the conduct of rare disease trials comparing an experimental treatment with a control when the primary endpoint is binary or normally distributed. We describe processes which can be used to systematically elicit from clinicians opinions on treatment efficacy in order to establish Bayesian priors for unknown model parameters. The proposed approaches are illustrated by describing applications to two Bayesian randomised controlled trials, namely a study in childhood polyarteritis nodosa and a study in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. Once prior distributions have been established, consideration of the extent to which opinion can be changed, even by the best feasible design, can help to determine whether a small trial is worthwhile.
Lisa Hampson is a Lecturer in Statistics at Lancaster University. Her research interests are in clinical trials, including group sequential tests and Bayesian methods for trials in rare diseases and dose-escalation. Her recent research has focused on developing methods for clinical trials of new medicines for children. She holds a PhD in Statistics from the University of Bath.
U.S. regulatory considerations and case studies for rare diseases
In this talk, I will present an overview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s policies and practices for encouraging development of products for rare diseases and of evaluating clinical evidence for the safety and effectiveness of such products. I’ll discuss study designs that may be particularly appropriate for rare disease product development, and address some of their statistical implications. Finally, I’ll present case studies of products that were approved for rare diseases using unusual or innovative study designs and/or regulatory pathways.
John Scott is Deputy Director of the Division of Biostatistics in the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, where he has also served as a statistical reviewer for blood products and for cellular, tissue and gene therapies. Prior to joining the FDA in 2008, he worked in psychiatric clinical trials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and did neuroimaging research with the Neurostatistics Laboratory at McClean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles in areas including Bayesian and adaptive clinical trial design and analysis, drug and vaccine safety, data and text mining, and benefit-risk assessment. He holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. in Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis, and is an associate editor of the journal, Pharmaceutical Statistics.
Bayesian methods for the design and interpretation of clinical trials in rare diseases
For studies in rare diseases, the sample size needed to meet a conventional frequentist power requirement can be daunting, even if patients are to be recruited over several years. Rather, the expectation of any such trial has to be limited to the generation of an improved understanding of treatment options. We propose Bayesian approaches for the conduct of rare disease trials comparing an experimental treatment with a control when the primary endpoint is binary or normally distributed. We describe processes which can be used to systematically elicit from clinicians opinions on treatment efficacy in order to establish Bayesian priors for unknown model parameters. The proposed approaches are illustrated by describing applications to two Bayesian randomised controlled trials, namely a study in childhood polyarteritis nodosa and a study in chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. Once prior distributions have been established, consideration of the extent to which opinion can be changed, even by the best feasible design, can help to determine whether a small trial is worthwhile.
Lisa Hampson is a Lecturer in Statistics at Lancaster University. Her research interests are in clinical trials, including group sequential tests and Bayesian methods for trials in rare diseases and dose-escalation. Her recent research has focused on developing methods for clinical trials of new medicines for children. She holds a PhD in Statistics from the University of Bath.
Joint PSI/EFSPI Visualisation SIG 'Wonderful Wednesday' Webinars
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.
Topic: R Package Basics.
Our monthly webinar series allows attendees to gain practical knowledge and skills in open-source coding and tools, with a focus on applications in the pharmaceutical industry. This month’s session, “R Package Basics,” will introduce the fundamentals of working with R packages—covering how to install, load, and manage them effectively to support data analysis and reproducible research. The session will provide a solid starting point, clarify common misconceptions, and offer valuable resources for continued learning.
Date: Ongoing 6 month cycle beginning late April/early May 2026
Are you a member of PSI looking to further your career or help develop others - why not sign up to the PSI Mentoring scheme? You can expand your network, improve your leadership skills and learn from more senior colleagues in the industry.
PSI Book Club Lunch and Learn: Communicating with Clarity and Confidence
If you have read Ros Atkins’ book The Art of Explanation or want to listen to the BBC’s ‘Communicator in Chief’, you are invited to join the PSI Book Club Lunch and Learn, to discuss the content and application with the author, Ros Atkins. Having written the book within the context of the news industry, Ros is keen to hear how we have applied the ideas as statisticians within drug development and clinical trials. There will be dedicated time during the webinar to ASK THE AUTHOR any questions – don’t miss out on this exclusive PSI Book Club event!
Haven’t read the book yet? Pick up a copy today and join us.
Explanation - identifying and communicating what we want to say - is described as an art, in the title of his book. However, the creativity comes from Ros’ discernment in identifying and describing a clear step-by-step process to follow and practice. Readers can learn Ros’ rules, developed and polished throughout his career as a journalist, to help communicate complex written or spoken information clearly.
PSI Training Course: Effective Leadership – the keys to growing your leadership capabilities
This course will consist of three online half-day workshops. The first will be aimed at building trust, the backbone of leadership and a key to becoming effective. This is key to building a solid foundation.
The second will be on improving communication as a technical leader. This workshop will focus on communication strategies for different stakeholders and will involve tips on effective communication and how to develop the skills of active listening, coaching and what improv can teach us about good communication.
The final workshop will bring these two components together to help leaders become more influential. This will also focus on how to use Steven Covey’s 7-Habits, in particular Habits 4, 5 and 6, which are called the habits of communication.
The workshops will be interactive, allowing you to practice the concepts discussed. There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion. There will also be reflective time where you can think about what you are learning and how you might experiment with it.