Stat Med. 2026 Mar;45(6-7):e70455. doi: 10.1002/sim.70455.
ABSTRACT
This commentary offers perspectives on delivering “rigorous causal inference on meaningful estimands” that differ from the opinions recently shared by Fleming et al. We (1) depict a more robust pathway for achieving this aim that incorporates clinical, causal and statistical reasoning, (2) suggest a tangibility criterion to judge the practical usefulness of an intercurrent event strategy, (3) illustrate the utility of causal inference methods in providing robust estimates when the clinical objective aligns with a hypothetical strategy, and (4) advocate for careful consideration of the tradeoffs between an estimand’s relevance and the required assumptions.
PMID:41847726 | DOI:10.1002/sim.70455
