The Center for Real-World Effectiveness and Safety of Therapeutics (CREST), based in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics and led by Sean Hennessy, was established in 2012 to develop rigorous, actionable evidence about the real-world effects of medical products, develop and evaluate rigorous methods to develop RWE, and to foster the preparation of the next generation of RWE leaders.

CREST includes nearly 100 investigators (Penn faculty engaged in pharmacoepidemiology research), adjunct investigators (whose primary affiliation is outside of Penn), and Investigators-in-Training. CREST helps to lead Penn’s MSCE- and PhD-granting RWE-focused training programs, hosts a monthly Pharmacoepidemiology Rounds series, hosts a monthly Research-in-Progress series, hosts visiting pharmacoepidemiology methodologists, and helps maintain phamacoepidemiologic research databases.

CREST members are leaders in the development, evaluation and application of new methods to study the health effects of medications in populations. CREST houses the American editorial office of the journal Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. CREST members also edit the books Pharmacoepidemiology and Textbook of Pharmacoepidemiology.