Biosignatures: Comparative effectiveness research in biomarker clinical studies

• Main Authors: Jur-Shan Cheng, David Bin-Shiun Wu, Yu Wen Wen, Pi-Hua Liu, Jr-Rung Lin, Chee-Jen Chang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2012-06-01
• Series: Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
• Subjects: biomarker; biosignatures; comparative effectiveness research (CER); evidence based medicine (EBM); randomized clinical trials (RCT)
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929664612001441

Due to increased healthcare expenditure and the need for evidence-supported clinical decision-making, clinical evaluation using comparative effectiveness research (CER) was initially proposed in the US. CER consists of generating and synthesizing evidence in relative benefits, harms, and costs of different alternatives through direct head-to-head comparisons. CER studies can help identify the most effective interventions for patients under specific circumstances, and therefore improve the efficiency of the healthcare system. A Biosignatures project newly launched in Taiwan was inspired by CER, aiming at using discovered biomarkers panel as tools in early detection of disease and prediction of treatment effectiveness.