How to quantify risks and benefits of health interventions with observational data?

For many health-related decisions, one has to weigh their risks and benefits. This applies, for example, to drug therapies, screening programs or clinical guidelines. Since randomized trials do not cover all relevant populations or are not feasible in the first place, reliable observational studies are urgently needed. We develop and apply theoretically sound study designs, such as target trials and causal methods, facilitating practically relevant and robust conclusions from observational data. In this way, we provide the scientific basis to improve health-related decision-making at the individual and societal level. In the application of our methods, the focus is on questions of drug safety, child health, and early cancer detection.