Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial: an interpretation of the TARGET reporting guideline_Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine

Authors：

LIU Ming ¹ , ZHENG Li ² , YAO Liang ¹ , WANG Qi ³ , SUN Yue ⁴ , YAN Peijing ⁵ , AI Dandan ¹ , TIAN Jinhui ^6,7 ,  ZHANG Junhua ^8,9 , XUE Fuzhong ^10,11 ,  GAO Ya ^10,11

1. Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore;
2. Department of Pharmacy, China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation 731 Hospital, Beijing 100074, P. R. China;
3. School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, P. R. China;
4. School of Nursing, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, P. R. China;
5. Clinical Research Center, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, P. R. China;
6. Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China;
7. Key Laboratory of Evidence-Based Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China;
8. Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, P. R. China;
9. Key Laboratory of Evidence-Based Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Medical Products Administration, Tianjin 301617, P. R. China;
10. Department of Medical Dataology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250003, P. R. China;
11. National Institute of Health Data Science of China, Jinan 250003, P. R. China;

Corresponding?author：

ZHANG Junhua, Email: zjhtcm@foxmail.com; GAO Ya, Email: gaoy2021@163.com

Keywords：

Target trial emulation; Reporting guideline; TARGET; Interpretation

DOI：

10.7507/1672-2531.202509065

Video：

Export PDF Favorites Scan Get Citation

Abstract Full text Figures/Tables Video References Cited by

In the fields of medicine and public health, when randomized controlled trials are impractical, observational studies serve as a key alternative approach. However, the results of observational studies are often susceptible to bias. Target trial emulation (TTE) enhances the reliability and interpretability of results through structured design, rigorous analytical methods, and adjustment for confounding factors. The absence of a unified reporting guideline, however, has somewhat limited the reliability and reproducibility of TTE results. To address this gap, an international collaborative team developed the Transparent Reporting of Observational Studies Emulating a Target Trial (TARGET) reporting guideline, which aims to improve the transparency and methodological rigor of TTE. This study presents a Chinese translation and interpretation of the TARGET reporting guideline, with the goal of promoting its adoption and application in China.

Citation： LIU Ming, ZHENG Li, YAO Liang, WANG Qi, SUN Yue, YAN Peijing, AI Dandan, TIAN Jinhui, ZHANG Junhua, XUE Fuzhong, GAO Ya. Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial: an interpretation of the TARGET reporting guideline. Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine, 2026, 26(3): 366-372. doi: 10.7507/1672-2531.202509065 Copy

1.	唐金陵. 再論觀察與實驗: 大數據現實世界研究不能取代隨機對照試驗. 中華流行病學雜志, 2018, 39(8): 1121-1124.
2.	Whitelaw TH. Modern epidemiology. Can Med Assoc J, 1923, 13(6): 428-431.
3.	Park SY. Reducing bias in observational studies. Korean J Anesthesiol, 2020, 73(4): 269-270.
4.	Hernán MA, Robins JM. Using big data to emulate a target trial when a randomized trial is not available. Am J Epidemiol, 2016, 183(8): 758-764.
5.	Hernán MA, Wang W, Leaf DE. Target trial emulation: a framework for causal inference from observational data. JAMA, 2022, 328(24): 2446-2447.
6.	von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, et al. Strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. BMJ, 2007, 335(7624): 806-808.
7.	Benchimol EI, Smeeth L, Guttmann A, et al. The reporting of studies conducted using observational routinely-collected health data (RECORD) statement. PLoS Med, 2015, 12(10): e1001885.
8.	Cashin AG, Hansford HJ, Hernán MA, et al. Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial: the TARGET statement. BMJ, 2025, 390: e087179.
9.	Cashin AG, Hansford HJ, Hernán MA, et al. Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial-the TARGET statement. JAMA, 2025, 334(12): 1084-1093.
10.	Richardson WS, Wilson MC, Nishikawa J, et al. The well-built clinical question: a key to evidence-based decisions. ACP J Club, 1995, 123(3): A12-A13.
11.	Hernán MA, Dahabreh IJ, Dickerman BA, et al. The target trial framework for causal inference from observational data: why and when is it helpful. Ann Intern Med, 2025, 178(3): 402-407.
12.	Young JG, Stensrud MJ, Tchetgen Tchetgen EJ, et al. A causal framework for classical statistical estimands in failure-time settings with competing events. Stat Med, 2020, 39(8): 1199-1236.
13.	Kahan BC, Hindley J, Edwards M, et al. The estimands framework: a primer on the ICH E9(R1) addendum. BMJ, 2024, 384: e076316.
14.	Phillips A, Clark T. Estimands in practice: bridging the gap between study objectives and statistical analysis. Pharm Stat, 2021, 20(1): 68-76.
15.	Cain LE, Robins JM, Lanoy E, et al. When to start treatment? A systematic approach to the comparison of dynamic regimes using observational data. Int J Biostat, 2010, 6(2): Article 18.
16.	劉明, 高亞, 楊珂璐, 等. 孟德爾隨機化研究的報告規范(STROBE-MR)解讀. 中國循證醫學雜志, 2022, 22(8): 978-987.
17.	劉明, 高亞, 史紀元, 等. 人工智能干預臨床試驗研究方案報告規范指南: SPIRIT-AI擴展版(2020)解讀. 中國醫藥導刊, 2020, 22(10): 692-697.

1. 唐金陵. 再論觀察與實驗: 大數據現實世界研究不能取代隨機對照試驗. 中華流行病學雜志, 2018, 39(8): 1121-1124.
2. Whitelaw TH. Modern epidemiology. Can Med Assoc J, 1923, 13(6): 428-431.
3. Park SY. Reducing bias in observational studies. Korean J Anesthesiol, 2020, 73(4): 269-270.
4. Hernán MA, Robins JM. Using big data to emulate a target trial when a randomized trial is not available. Am J Epidemiol, 2016, 183(8): 758-764.
5. Hernán MA, Wang W, Leaf DE. Target trial emulation: a framework for causal inference from observational data. JAMA, 2022, 328(24): 2446-2447.
6. von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, et al. Strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. BMJ, 2007, 335(7624): 806-808.
7. Benchimol EI, Smeeth L, Guttmann A, et al. The reporting of studies conducted using observational routinely-collected health data (RECORD) statement. PLoS Med, 2015, 12(10): e1001885.
8. Cashin AG, Hansford HJ, Hernán MA, et al. Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial: the TARGET statement. BMJ, 2025, 390: e087179.
9. Cashin AG, Hansford HJ, Hernán MA, et al. Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial-the TARGET statement. JAMA, 2025, 334(12): 1084-1093.
10. Richardson WS, Wilson MC, Nishikawa J, et al. The well-built clinical question: a key to evidence-based decisions. ACP J Club, 1995, 123(3): A12-A13.
11. Hernán MA, Dahabreh IJ, Dickerman BA, et al. The target trial framework for causal inference from observational data: why and when is it helpful. Ann Intern Med, 2025, 178(3): 402-407.
12. Young JG, Stensrud MJ, Tchetgen Tchetgen EJ, et al. A causal framework for classical statistical estimands in failure-time settings with competing events. Stat Med, 2020, 39(8): 1199-1236.
13. Kahan BC, Hindley J, Edwards M, et al. The estimands framework: a primer on the ICH E9(R1) addendum. BMJ, 2024, 384: e076316.
14. Phillips A, Clark T. Estimands in practice: bridging the gap between study objectives and statistical analysis. Pharm Stat, 2021, 20(1): 68-76.
15. Cain LE, Robins JM, Lanoy E, et al. When to start treatment? A systematic approach to the comparison of dynamic regimes using observational data. Int J Biostat, 2010, 6(2): Article 18.
16. 劉明, 高亞, 楊珂璐, 等. 孟德爾隨機化研究的報告規范(STROBE-MR)解讀. 中國循證醫學雜志, 2022, 22(8): 978-987.
17. 劉明, 高亞, 史紀元, 等. 人工智能干預臨床試驗研究方案報告規范指南: SPIRIT-AI擴展版(2020)解讀. 中國醫藥導刊, 2020, 22(10): 692-697.

Previous Article
Interpretation of the COSMIN reporting guideline 2.0 for studies on measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs)

Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine

Transparent reporting of observational studies emulating a target trial: an interpretation of the TARGET reporting guideline

Abstract Full text Figures/Tables Video References Cited by

Previous Article

Format

Content