Exhibiting caution with use of big data: The case of amphetamine in Iceland's prescription registry

Data from large electronic databases are increasingly used in epidemiological research, but golden standards for database validation remain elusive. The Prescription Registry (IPR) and the National Health Service (NHS) databases in Iceland have not undergone formal validation, and gross errors have repeatedly been found in Icelandic statistics on pharmaceuticals. In 2015, new amphetamine tablets entered the Icelandic market, but were withdrawn half a year later due to being substandard. Return of unused stocks provided knowledge of the exact number of tablets used and hence a case where quality of the data could be assessed.

Source: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy - February 27, 2018 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Ingunn Bj örnsdottir, Guri Birgitte Verne Source Type: research