About the International Society for Biopharmaceutical Statistics

The International Society for Biopharmaceutical Statistics (ISBS) is a nonprofit statistical organization registered in the United States in 2007. Its mission is to promote the best practice of statistics and data science in biomedical product research, development, and regulation through providing a variety of international platforms for statisticians and data scientists across the world to share and exchange information, experiences, and research findings.

One of the organizational goals is to organize a symposium every other year globally with joint effort from local statistical organizations. The symposiums are meant to cover a wide range of statistical research topics at different development stages of biopharmaceutical products including drugs, biologics, medical devices, and biotechnological products. All statisticians and related professionals who are involved in quantitative bio-pharmaceutical research, development and regulation are welcome to attend the symposiums and be a volunteer for the organization. So far, it has organized six symposiums. In addition, three online virtual free short courses for international professionals were provided during the Covid-19 pandemic period:

• The first symposium in Shanghai, China, from June 30 to July 2, 2008, with the theme on the Roles of Statistics in Biopharmaceutical Globalization.
• The second symposium, jointly organized with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the German Region of the International Biometric Society (IBS), in Berlin, Germany, from March 1 to March 3, 2011, with the theme on Bridging Drug Development from Research to Marketing.
• The third symposium, jointly organized with the International Chinese Statistical Association (ICSA), in Washington, DC, from June 9 to June 12, 2013, with the theme on Globalization of Statistical Applications, in recognition of the celebration of the International Year of Statistics 2013.
• The fourth symposium, jointly organized with DIA, in Beijing, China, from June 27 to July 1, 2015, with the theme on Big and Small Data – The Roles of Statistics in Drug Development.
• The fifth symposium, jointly organized with the Central European Network of the IBS, in Vienna, Austria, from August 28 to September 1, 2017, with the theme on Quantifying Life, Advancing Research, and Enabling Decisions.
• The sixth symposium in Kyoto, Japan, from August 26 to August 29, 2019, with the theme on Statistical Innovation and Contribution in the Era of Precision Healthcare.

The ISBS continues to work together with other professional organizations aiming at promoting and improving the best possible practice of statistics and data science in medical product development and regulation.