Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at PharmaSafe
PharmaSafe is a multidisciplinary research group working at the intersection of pharmacoepidemiology, drug safety, pharmaco(epi)genetics, biostatistics, and pharmacotherapy. Our research directly concerns patient safety, vulnerable populations (such as pregnant women and young children), and equitable access to effective and safe medications.
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Our Commitment
At PharmaSafe, we aim to provide an inclusive, respectful and supportive environment for all members of the group, regardless of gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, ethnic or national background, language, religion, sexual orientation, pregnancy or caregiving responsibilities, or other aspects of identity.
Our work is guided by, and contributes to, UiO’s overarching goals for diversity, equality and inclusion, and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences’ efforts to promote gender equality and inclusive excellence.
Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter for Our Research
Our research focuses on medication safety and effectiveness in real-world settings, including populations that are often underrepresented in randomized controlled trials.
This includes:
- Pregnant women and children.
- People with chronic diseases and multimorbidity.
- Populations with diverse genetic, epigenetic and socio-demographic backgrounds.
- Groups whose experiences and perceptions of medications may be shaped by culture, language, and prior interactions with health systems.
In all of these areas, diversity and inclusion shape:
- Which questions we ask – for example, whether we explicitly consider differences in access, safety, and effectiveness across gender, socio-economic position, ethnicity, or migration status.
- How we design our studies – including how we define and measure diversity, and how we address intersecting vulnerabilities.
- How we interpret our findings – ensuring that we avoid stigmatizing language and that we highlight implications for health equity.
Integrating Diversity and Fairness into Pharmacoepidemiologic Research
PharmaSafe members contribute to the development of methodological frameworks that place diversity and fairness at the core of pharmacoepidemiologic research. An example is the following publication:
Vallejo-Yagüe E, de Vries ST, La Parra-Casado D, Gardarsdottir H, Faquetti ML, van Valkengoed I, Aubrun E, Douros A, Guedes S, Martinez-De La Torre A, Wested J, Ochi T, Schumacher Dimech AM, Clair C, Mehta I, Ida F, Soriano Gabarró M, Korzh O, Martínez-González M, Maso A, Clamote Rodrigues D, Ndem-Galbert JR, Korjagina M, Goswami S, Moga DC, Marcus AF, Nordeng H. Advancing Health Equity in Europe: Explore, Tailor, Implement, and Evaluate (ETIE) – A Framework of Diversity and Fairness in Pharmacoepidemiologic Research. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2025 Jul;34(7):e70175. doi: 10.1002/pds.70175. PMID: 40685521.
The ETIE framework provides structured guidance on how to:
- Explore diversity and inequities in medicine use and outcomes.
- Tailor study designs, data sources, and analytic strategies to capture relevant dimensions of diversity and context.
- Implement interventions and policies that consider heterogeneity in needs, preferences and access.
- Evaluate impacts on health equity, not only on average effects.
By adopting and further developing such frameworks, we aim to ensure that pharmacoepidemiologic evidence does not inadvertently widen health disparities, but instead supports more just and equitable healthcare decisions.