Starting right: aligning eligibility and treatment assignment at time zero when emulating a target trial
This article provides methodological guidance when emulating a target trial with longitudinal observational data by showing how to align eligibility criteria and treatment assignment at the start of follow-up to prevent design induced biases, such as immortal time and selection bias.
Authors
- Rishi Desai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0299-7273)
- Miguel A Hernán
- Edouard L Fu
- Michael O. Harhay
Institutions
- Leiden University (NL)
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- University of Pennsylvania (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMJ
- Published
- 2026-01-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2025-084909
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 165.09
Funders
- Universiteit Leiden
- Nierstichting
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases