Comparison of Statistical Signal Detection Methods Within and Across Spontaneous Reporting Databases

Conclusions In designing signal detection systems, careful consideration should be given to the criteria that are used to define an SDR. The choice of disproportionality statistic does not appreciably affect the achievable range of signal detection performance and so this can primarily be based on ease of implementation, interpretation and minimisation of computing resources. The changes in sensitivity and precision obtainable by replacing one algorithm with another are predictable. However, the absolute performance of a method is specific to the database and is best assessed directly on that database. New methods may be required to gain appreciable improvements.
Source: Drug Safety - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research