---
title: >-
  When Emulating a Trial, Do as the Trialists Do: Missteps in Estimating
  Relative Effectiveness of a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2
  Vaccine Booster Dose.
description: >-
  Explore this publication on real-world evidence: When Emulating a Trial, Do as
  the Trialists Do: Missteps in Estimating Relative Effectiveness of a Severe…
date: '2023-01-01'
category: Publications
tags:
  - Clinical Infectious Diseases
  - Abstract / Manuscript
  - R&D
  - Care
  - Methods/Pharmacoepi
  - COVID-19
  - Health System Partner
canonical_url: >-
  https://www.pedestalhealth.com/resources/publications/clinical-infectious-diseases/when-emulating-a-trial-do-as-the-trialists-do-missteps-in/
source: Pedestal Health
license: © 2026 Pedestal Health. All rights reserved.
slug: when-emulating-a-trial-do-as-the-trialists-do-missteps-in
id: 6GUP6jdCIqYTTH2Rp1v8El
contentType: article
---

## Challenge

Target trial emulation methods require careful alignment between observational study design and the hypothetical trial being emulated, but common missteps remain frequent in real-world COVID-19 treatment effectiveness studies.

## Solution

Target RWE researchers analyzed methodological errors in published observational COVID-19 treatment effectiveness studies and provided a corrective framework for rigorous target trial emulation.

## Impact

Establishing clear methodological guardrails for trial emulation positions Target RWE as a methodological authority, directly supporting the credibility of its analyses in FDA submissions and pharma partner regulatory dossiers.