Target Trial Emulation: Causality from Observational Data

In today’s episode: Assisted Dying moves closer to becoming UK law. The proposed legislation to allow people to end their own lives has moved through a second debate in the House of Lords. What do MPs and doctors think of the Bill as it stands? And, new ways to pull research findings from observation alone makes us question whether correlation really doesn’t equal causation. We find out - what is Target Trial Emulation?

The BMJ’s Elisabeth Mahase speaks to Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, sponsor of the Assisted Dying Bill. Why did she propose the legislation? What has been her impression of its movement through Parliament and the opposition it has faced? We also hear from Jamilla Hussain and Gareth Owen, doctors who attended a BMJ parliamentary roundtable on the topic.

Finally, the BMJ’s Duncan Jarvies talks to our research editors about new ways to develop evidence from observational studies. What are the limits to this new technique of causal inference?

Reading list

MP behind assisted dying bill warns that terminally ill people and their families are being failed, ahead of Lords debate

Assisted dying bill: Lords debate concerns over lack of safeguards

Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial: the TARGET Statement