The Effective Statistician - in association with PSI
by Alexander Schacht and Benjamin Piske, biometricians, statisticians and leaders in the pharma industry
The podcast from statisticians for statisticians to have a bigger impact at work. This podcast is set up in association with PSI - Promoting Statistical Insight. This podcast helps you to grow your leadership skills, learn about ongoing discussions in the scientific community, build you knowledge about the health sector and be more efficient at work. This podcast helps statisticians at all levels with and without management experience. It is targeted towards the health, but lots of topics will be important for the wider data scientists community.
Episodes
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Move Beyond Excel with R for Health Technology Assessment
When should we move beyond Excel for health technology assessment? I sit down with Dr Robert Smith to explore why increasingly complex health economic models call for a different approach—and how R can help. We discuss the challenges of reviewing large spreadsheets, R’s strengths for simulation...
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Turn Data into Decisions by Putting People First
How can we make sure our analyses lead to action? I’m joined by Dr. Annika Bergbauer, economist, IT management consultant, and host of Datenaffaire, to explore how we can put people at the centre of data-driven decisions. We discuss stakeholder engagement, clear communication, and the human…
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Better Dose Decisions and a Culture of Statistical Innovation
How can statisticians improve dose decisions and drive innovation in their everyday work? I speak with Marie-Karelle Rivière and Anaïs Andrillon from Saryga about Project Optimus, their approach to dose optimization, and what it takes to turn challenging questions into meaningful research.
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Five Lessons for a Meaningful Career in Statistics
What helps us build a fulfilling career in statistics beyond technical expertise? In this episode, I speak with Godwin Yung, who leads the Statistical Methodology group at Roche–Genentech, about lessons from his first decade in the pharmaceutical industry. We explore three themes from his career...
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Integrated Evidence Planning That Connects Drug Development to Patient Needs
How do we generate evidence that supports regulatory approval, patient access, and better care? In this episode, I talk with Gorana Capkun from Merck Healthcare, where she leads the patient-focused and real-world evidence team. We explore how integrated evidence planning brings together clinical...
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How to Make Statistics Click with Schools Outreach and Interactive Data Visualization
How can we make statistics meaningful to someone who does not work with it every day? I talk with Steve Mallett about his work with the PSI Schools team and the lessons it offers for training colleagues in pharma. We explore how hands-on activities, interactive data visualization, and a clear...
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Will AI Replace Statisticians? The Future of Statistics in Pharma
Will artificial intelligence make statisticians obsolete—or make our expertise even more valuable? In this episode, I speak with independent statistical consultant Chris Harbron about how AI could reshape the role of statisticians in the pharmaceutical industry. Our conversation builds on Chris’s...
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How to Build an Effective Patient-Reported Outcome Strategy for Clinical Trials
How can we build a patient-reported outcome strategy that captures the patient voice and strengthens clinical development? In this episode of The Effective Statistician Podcast, I speak with Julia Poritz, Senior Research Consultant on Cytel’s Evidence, Value, and Access team, about developing and...
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How the R Consortium Is Transforming Regulatory Submissions and AI in Clinical Trials
In this episode, I talk with Ning Leng, Ph.D., Director II, Data and AI Acceleration Group, Data & Statistical Sciences at AbbVie, about the growing role of the R Consortium in the pharmaceutical industry. Ning brings extensive experience in statistics, computational genomics, open-source...
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Project Optimus and what you need to know about it
Cancer treatments have changed dramatically over the past decade, but have our dose-finding strategies kept pace? In this episode, I speak with Dr. Ayon Mukherjee, who leads statistical innovation in early oncology development at Eli Lilly. Together, we explore Project Optimus, the FDA initiative...
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Unlocking Growth: The Power of Coaching and Mentoring for Statisticians
In this insightful interview, Emma May and Alun Bedding explore the nuances of coaching and mentoring, sharing personal stories, frameworks, and practical tips to enhance professional growth. Discover how these powerful tools can transform statisticians' careers and foster leadership development.
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Understanding and Mitigating Endpoint Bias in External Control Arms
External control arms are becoming increasingly important in drug development, but creating valid comparisons requires more than matching patient populations. In this episode, I speak with Ben Ackerman, Director of Real-World Biostatistics at GSK, about one of the most overlooked challenges in...
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The Future of Statistical Methodology in Drug Development
This episode features three leading statistical methodology experts discussing the role, impact, and future of methodology groups in the pharmaceutical industry. They explore organizational structures, skill sets, AI integration, and strategies to accelerate adoption of innovative methods.
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Rethinking Programming Validation and Traceability in Clinical Trials
In this episode of The Effective Statistician, I speak with Andrew (Andy) York about the evolving world of programming validation, traceability, and quality assurance in clinical trials. Andy has decades of experience in statistical programming, leadership roles across pharma and CROs, and now...
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How Applied Improvisation Develops and Reinforces Interpersonal Skills
In this episode, Alun Bedding speaks with Richard Zink about how **applied improvisation** can help statisticians become more effective communicators and leaders. They explore how improv techniques—like “yes, and,” active listening, and embracing mistakes—build confidence, strengthen…
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What does a clinical lead expect from a statistician?
In this episode, I speak with Anna Mosikian, a physician by training and Global Clinical Program Lead working at the intersection of clinical development and strategic marketing. Anna brings a powerful perspective on how clinical data translates into real-world value—bridging evidence generation,...
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Measuring Trust – A Key to Effective Leadership
Trust is one of the most fundamental elements of effective leadership—and yet, most organizations don’t measure it properly. In this episode, I speak again with my good friend Alun Bedding about how we can move from talking about trust to actually quantifying and improving it. We explore why…
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Choosing and Interpreting PROs and COAs – A Guide for Clinical Trial Statisticians
In this episode, I sit down with Rachael Lawrance to dive into a topic that has become absolutely central to clinical research: patient-centered outcomes. When I first started as a statistician, I knew these measures existed—but I didn’t really understand how they were developed, analyzed, or…
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How Statisticians Can Build Trust and Lead with Emotional Intelligence
In this episode of The Effective Statistician, Alun Bedding speaks with Emma May about the skills that truly differentiate effective statisticians from great leaders. While technical expertise remains essential, success in today’s environment increasingly depends on the ability to build trust,...
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The Evolving Role of Generative AI in Pharma
Generative AI is moving fast—and in pharma, it’s no longer just a buzzword. In this episode of The Effective Statistician Podcast, I speak with Manuel Cossio about how Generative AI is already being applied in real-world pharma settings, where it’s delivering value today, and what still needs...
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Kicking Off 2026: Gratitude and What’s Ahead
As we start 2026, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has been part of The Effective Statistician podcast. This episode features my co-host, Alun Bedding, reflecting on the past year and sharing thanks on behalf of both of us. From our listeners who tune in,...
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Why to present better and how as a statistician
In this episode, I talk with my long-time friend and frequent guest, Kaspar Rufibach, about a skill that quietly determines how much impact we really have: presenting and communicating our work. We walk through how Kaspar prepares his talks (including why he starts months in advance), how he...
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External control arms - how to get to a good one
In this episode, I’m joined by Deepa Jahagirdar, Associate Research Principal at Cytel, to explore what it really takes to build a good external control arm (ECA). Deepa brings a fascinating background from social epidemiology, where causal questions often need to be answered without running...
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Top 9: Non-parametric analyses - much more than just the Wilcoxon test!
Why this episode made our all-time Top 9: If you’ve ever thought “non-parametric = Wilcoxon/Mann-Whitney and that’s it,” this conversation will happily destroy that myth. Frank shows how rank-based methods unlock rigorous analyses for skewed data, outliers, ordinal endpoints, small samples,...
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How to communicate results from adaptive studies simple, but still correct
Adaptive designs let us learn earlier, stop smarter, and protect patients—but they also make communication tricky. In this episode, Kaspar Rufibach and I dig into what “still correct” looks like when you try to explain results from group-sequential and other adaptive trials to regulators,...
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Introduction to adaptive designs and ICH E20
In this episode, I’m joined once again by my friend and frequent guest, Kaspar Rufibach, to talk about a topic that’s been around for decades but is gaining fresh attention thanks to the new ICH E20 draft guideline—adaptive designs in confirmatory clinical trials. Kaspar and I discuss why and…
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Leadership, Influence & Presenting: Human Skills That Make Statisticians Effective
This episode is a little different because Alun turns the microphone toward me. After 456 episodes, it feels both strange and exciting to be the “guest” on my own show. Together, we reflect on the journey so far and then dive into a topic close to both our hearts: the human skills that make...
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Top 8: The Single Arm Studies and What are the Alternatives?
I’m excited to reshare one of our most-played conversations—the one where Norwegian regulator/HTA leader Anja Schiel and I get very practical about when single-arm trials fail decision-makers and what comparative, smarter alternatives look like for regulators, HTA bodies, payers, clinicians,...
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Top 7: How to work with a physician within Pharma to become a valuable partner
As statisticians in pharma, one of the most important professional relationships we can build is with our physician colleagues. When this partnership works well, studies run smoother, decisions are better, and our impact for patients grows. In this all-time Top 7 replay, Benjamin Piske and I talk...
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Top 6: What is EU HTA and why should statisticians care?
This is one of our most downloaded episodes ever, and I’m excited to bring it back in this replay. In this conversation, I spoke with Lara Wolfson (MSD) and Anders Gorst-Rasmussen (Novo Nordisk) about EU HTA (European Union Health Technology Assessment): what it is, why it’s coming, and why...
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Top 5: The analysis of adverse events done right
We’re bringing back one of our most downloaded episodes ever – a deep dive into how adverse events should be analyzed properly. This conversation with Jan Beyersmann and Kaspar Rufibach is packed with methodological insights and practical implications for statisticians working in clinical trials....
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Replay: R vs SAS - which is the better tool in pharmaceutical research
In this special replay of one of our all-time most popular episodes, we dive deep into one of the most debated topics in the pharmaceutical industry: R vs SAS. Together with Thomas Neitmann and my co-host Sam Gardner, we compare these two powerful statistical programming tools from multiple…
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Replay: The Chimp Paradox
In this special replay episode — the top 3 most downloaded of all time — I’m again joined by Stuart McGuire as we explore The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve Peters. This book provides a simple yet powerful model for understanding how our brain works — and how it often works against us if we’re...
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Replay: Is data science something for you?
This episode ranks as the #2 most downloaded of all time—and for good reason. As data science continues to disrupt and redefine the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, statisticians everywhere are asking: Where do I fit in? In this insightful conversation, two leaders from Cytel—Yannis...
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Replay: Things we would like to have known before we started with RWE
This episode originally struck a chord with statisticians around the world—and for good reason. Whether you’re just starting with real-world evidence (RWE) or mentoring someone who is, this conversation is packed with practical lessons that will help you navigate the complexities of observational...
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AI and Statistics Start-ups: Opportunities and Challenges
In this thought-provoking keynote recording, Manjari Narayan takes us on a journey through one of the most pressing and promising intersections in modern science: the convergence of artificial intelligence, statistics, and biotechnology. Drawing on her extensive experience in both academia and...
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Combining RCT and RWD – applications in rare diseases and practical recommendations
In this special keynote episode, I’m excited to share the recording of Professor Tim Friede’s thought-provoking presentation from The Effective Statistician Conference 2024. Tim, a leading expert in biostatistics and clinical trial design, dives deep into the combination of randomized controlled...
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Real-World Evidence vs. Randomized Trials: Can We Emulate Accuracy?
In this keynote episode, Professor Sebastian Schneeweiss from Harvard Medical School shares groundbreaking insights from his extensive research into emulating randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using real-world data (RWD). Recorded live at The Effective Statistician Conference 2024, this talk...
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The Power of Networking
In this episode of The Effective Statistician, Alun Bedding takes the mic to explore one of the most underrated yet transformative tools in any professional's career—networking. With the PSI Conference happening, this episode offers timely insights into how statisticians—introverts and extroverts...
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Inclusion for All: Rethinking Success, Neurodiversity, and Accessibility in the Workplace
In this episode, Alun Bedding welcomes Emma Crawford for a powerful and personal conversation about building inclusive workplace cultures—ones where every individual can thrive. Emma shares her late diagnosis of autism and how it reshaped her experience and expectations of the workplace.…
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Daily updated systematic literature reviews - the future of oncology
How can oncologists and healthcare professionals keep up with the ever-growing body of research to make the best decisions for patients? In this episode, I speak with Anna Forsythe, a pharmacologist, health economist, and founder of OncoScope, a groundbreaking platform delivering daily updated...
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A novel approach for finding predictive biomarkers
In this episode, I’m joined by Julia Geronimi from Servier and Dr. Pavel Mozgunov from the University of Cambridge to explore a topic that’s absolutely central to advancing precision medicine—predictive biomarkers. We dive into the challenges of identifying predictive vs. prognostic biomarkers,...
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A Webinar Recording: Redefining the Role of Statisticians in a World of Real-World Data and AI
In this special episode, I’m sharing the recording of a webinar I co-hosted with Cytel on March 20, 2025. I was joined by an expert panel of leaders in statistics and clinical development: Yannis Jemiai, Flaminia Chiesa, and Benjamin Piske. Together, we explored how the role of statisticians is...
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RWE and JCA - how do they go together
In this episode, I’m excited to welcome back Katrin Kupas, a statistician with deep expertise in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and real world evidence (RWE). We dive into how RWE and the new Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) process in Europe can work together—and where the challenges lie. As...
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Why and how you can promote more students become statisticians
As someone who found my way into statistics late—only halfway through university—I often wonder: what if more young people knew about this path earlier? In this episode, I sit down with two wonderful guests and PSI volunteers, Emma Crawford and Alex Spiers, to explore exactly that: how we, as...
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Clarifying confusions around interim, primary, final, and other analyses in clinical trial
Group sequential trials, interim analyses, final analyses, updated analyses… what do these terms actually mean, and why is there so much confusion? In this technical yet highly practical episode, I speak with Kaspar Rufibach, Principal Biostatistician at Roche, to unpack some of the most commonly...
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Reimagining Clinical Trials with Synthetic Data and Digital Twins
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Prof. Holger Fröhlich, who leads the AI and Data Science Group at the Fraunhofer Institute and is an honorary professor at the University of Bonn. We explored one of the hottest topics in healthcare data science right now: synthetic data.…
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Working in an english work environment as a non-native speaker
In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that’s very personal to me—working in an English-speaking environment as a non-native speaker. If you’ve ever felt unsure about your English skills in meetings, emails, or presentations, you’re not alone. I’ve been there myself, and I want to share what’s...
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R-shiny - how to set it up effectively and avoid common mistakes
In this episode, I’m once again joined by Daniel Sabanés Bové for a deep dive into one of the most impactful tools for statisticians working with data visualization—R-Shiny. We explore how interactive data visualizations can help you iterate faster, collaborate better across functions, and focus...
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3 personal stories of how soft skills have helped me as a statistician
In this episode, I’m sharing three personal stories where soft skills—or better yet, human skills—made a huge difference in my work as a statistician. Whether it was building trust to access critical data, presenting results in a way that truly resonated, or negotiating a fair contract, these...
About this show
The podcast from statisticians for statisticians to have a bigger impact at work. This podcast is set up in association with PSI - Promoting Statistical Insight. This podcast helps you to grow your leadership skills, learn about ongoing discussions in the scientific community, build you knowledge about the health sector and be more efficient at work. This podcast helps statisticians at all levels with and without management experience. It is targeted towards the health, but lots of topics will be important for the wider data scientists community.
Hosted by
Alexander Schacht and Benjamin Piske, biometricians, statisticians and leaders in the pharma industry