An Update on SAS and ODBC
ABSTRACT:
One of the most frequent questions other SAS programmers ask is 'How do I get my data from MS Access (or any other application) into SAS?'. ODBC (Open Data Base Connectivity) is a windows service created especially for the exchange of data. After reading this paper, the user will be able to use ODBC to set up their data for use with Base SAS and any other ODBC compliant application. We will look at using ODBC under the latest operating conditions such as Windows '98 and SAS 6.12. We will review the definition of ODBC, how to exchange data between SAS and other ODBC compliant applications such as MS Access, Paradox, MS Excel and Lotus 123. We will compare OCBC with other third party products such as DBMS Copy. We will review new features of ODBC using Windows '98 and SAS 6.12.

BIOGRAPHY:
Jennifer Price is a Consultant with nine years experience in analyzing, summarizing, and reporting clinical trials data. Her specialties include program validation, converting and importing data and data reporting. Other interests include internet applications, computer hardware, software and networking, and web based applications. Jennifer is active with NESUG, PharmaSUG and PhilaSUG. She has participated in these organizations as a conference co-chair, section chair, paper presenter, poster presenter, code clinic expert, and SAS bowl participant.

ABSTRACT:
Clinical Trials data comes in all shapes and sizes depending upon the therapeutic area, indication and phase of the trial. Quite a bit of the data arriving on Case Report Forms (CRFs) is fairly standard (e.g. Demography, Adverse Event, Medications, Laboratory, etc.), and hence can be stored in fairly standard data structures. Designing clinical data structures for data entry is important, but it should be done with some understanding of the analysis that will be performed. Once an appropriate clinical data structure is arrived at for data entry, it is important to then determine how to best use the data in the analysis environment.

This paper will discuss data normalization and what it means along with the effects it has on SAS? programs used to list and summarize clinical trials data. Side by side examples of programs and output from standard data structures versus normalized data structures will provide proof of the importance of normalization.

BIOGRAPHY:
Daphne Ewing is Managing Director, Northeast Operations at Synteract, Inc. located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Synteract is a Clinical Research Organization based out of San Diego, California. Daphne holds a B.S. in Computer Science Engineering from the University of Virginia. She has been working in the pharmaceutical data processing area since 1987, including SAS programming on a variety of platforms since 1989. Daphne is a member of the NorthEast SAS Users Group, Inc. Executive Committee, and has presented at the local, regional and national level.

The ability to reuse code in the form of SAS Macro programs is only as good as the infrastructure that supports these programs. A common program warehouse, the SAS Macro Library, can provide the necessary environment for your macro programs. Macro programs that are designed for multi-user access are stored here; by limiting accessibility to the library, version control really is version control. Good programming practices can be enforced. Development of sufficiently generic code can be controlled.

This paper describes the steps necessary to develop and maintain the infrastructure necessary for SAS Macro Libraries to be useful and successful. This includes the systems aspect of the Macro Library (location, access) as well as the developmental aspect of the Macro programs (documentation, validation).

BIOGRAPHY:
Michael Walega is the Director of Technical Clinical Programming at Covance. In this position he is responsible for identification and development of new technologies, process improvement initiatives, training and mentoring. He has used SAS for over 14 years, has presented numerous papers at SUGI and NESUG conferences, and is a Conference Co-Chair for NESUG 99 in Washington, DC.