To help you get the most from your PharmaSUG experience, we're pleased to offer papers in fourteen different academic sections this year. Previous attendees will notice that the old Coders Corner section has been renamed to Quick Tips, and a new Submission Standards section has been carved out of the Data Standards section.

As always, we feature a variety of both industry-specific and general-interest topics. We will also continue to offer the extremely popular Hands-On Training, an entire section of interactive courses that run throughout the conference. There is something for everyone at PharmaSUG 2016!

  • Applications Development: The development process of programs, systems, utilities, and productivity tools designed to assist us in our daily jobs, plus an overview of the code and software development techniques used in the process.
  • Beyond the Basics: Comprehensive explanations of sophisticated programming techniques, detailed step-by-step "how to" guides, examples of solving specific programming problems, and other innovative, high-level technical presentations geared for an audience of intermediate and advanced industry programmers.
  • Career Planning: Presentations related to working as statistical programmers, statisticians, data analysts, and in related roles in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Topics may include industry trends, job searching, career growth, consulting and contracting, networking techniques, or other relevant subjects. This section will help attendees stay informed of the opportunities available in career development.
  • Data Standards: Discussion of industry data standards such as CDISC SDTM and ADaM, data exchange with partners and vendors, data management, controlled terminology, versioning, data quality, implementation strategies, pilots and case studies.
  • Data Visualization and Graphics: Creation of reports and graphs, discussion of techniques for representing data to communicate effectively, and use of SAS tools such as SAS/GRAPH, ODS, GTL, and ODS Statistical Graphs.
  • Hands-On Training: Interactive training to provide attendees a “hands-on” opportunity to use industry software tools. Practice techniques in a classroom setting, equipped with 20+ computers, under the skillful guidance of seasoned experts. Topics vary widely. Invited Speakers only.
  • Healthcare Analytics: The use of software tools in healthcare research focusing on patient-reported outcomes, registries, risk evaluation and mitigation strategies, and other post-submission activities. Topics will include analysis, visualization, summary report, and data mining techniques from various data sources such as surveys, call center, health claims, and post-marketing sources.
  • Industry Basics: Basic knowledge about concepts such as business intelligence and business strategy for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and health research industries.
  • Management and Support: Issues facing programmers, consultants, executives and front-line supervisors in today's pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Topics include recruiting and retention, programming metrics, temporary workforce challenges, interpersonal interactions, tips for new managers, effective training methods and programs for keeping skills up to date, as well as effective use of support resources such as technical support for programmers, discussion forums, users groups, and social networking sites.
  • Posters: Various topics presented in a poster format rather than as a formal lecture. Posters are available throughput the conference and are ideal for displaying high-resolution graphics and innovative presentations. Authors are available during scheduled times to answer questions. Top-rated posters from other user group conferences will also be on display.
  • Quick Tips: (formerly Coders Corner) Brief demonstrations of real-life useful nuggets of programming code, programming tips, efficiency techniques, useful algorithms and macros, and creative uses of software. This is a fast-paced section of 10-minute presentations that are concise and tightly-focused, where sharing and explaining the code is the key.
  • Statistics & Pharmacokinetics: Implementation of statistical methods and advanced analytics to report results from all phases of clinical trials, public health studies, and healthcare research.
  • Submission Standards: Discussion of industry submission standards such as define.xml, SDRG, ADRG, eCTD folder content, implementation strategies including the use of metadata repositories to automate submission documentation, submission experiences, pilots and case studies.
  • Techniques & Tutorials: Straightforward explanations of fundamental programming techniques, simple step-by-step "how to" guides, examples of using programs to solve specific problems, and other basic, foundational technical presentations geared for an audience of beginner and intermediate industry programmers.