Absolute risk
The probability of an event or outcome occurring in a defined population over a specified time period
Absolute risk reduction
A measure of treatment effect that compares the decrease in risk in the control group with that of a treatment group i.e. Pc – Pt
Adverse event
An undesirable effect of a health technology
Base Case
Analysis conducted using the set of preferred methods most appropriate for the decision-maker
Bayesian Method
A branch of statistics that uses prior information based on subjective opinion and objective evidence, such as the results of previous research, for estimation and inference
Bias
Bias is any distorting influence that makes the results of a study an inaccurate reflection of the true situation
Blinding
When patients, investigators, researchers and/or assessors are kept unaware of the allocation of treatments (investigational agent or control) to participants in a study
Budget Impact Analysis
Estimates the financial consequences of adoption and diffusion of a new health-care intervention within a specific health-care setting or system context given inevitable resource constraints.
Clinical outcome
An outcome of major clinical importance that is defined on the basis of the disease being studied (e.g. fracture in osteoporosis, relapse rates).
Clinical significance
A conclusion that an intervention has an effect that is of practical meaning to patients and health care providers. Effects identified as statistically significant are not always clinically significant, because the effect is small or the outcome is not important.