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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

In Silico Clinical Trials for Cardiovascular Disease
Published on: May 27, 2022
Causal inference and digital twins: a roadmap for the future of clinical trials
Silas Ruhrberg Estévez1, Richard Peck2, Eoin McKinney1
1University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Abstract:
Clinical trials generate essential evidence on treatment safety and efficacy, but slow timelines, high costs, and limited inclusivity constrain efficiency, generalisability, and clinical impact. Causal inference and digital twins offer complementary tools to define estimands, characterise treatment-effect heterogeneity, assess transportability, and simulate patient trajectories under alternative interventions. Integrated responsibly into trial design, recruitment, monitoring, and post-trial translation, they could support faster, fairer, and more informative clinical trials.
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