Book excerpt: Now in its fifth edition, Pharmacoepidemiology defines the discipline and provides the most comprehensive guidance of any book on the topic. Written by world renowned experts in the field, this valuable text surveys the research designs and sources of data available for pharmacoepidemiologic research, and provides descriptions of various automated data systems, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each. Incorporating perspectives from academia, industry and regulatory agencies, this book provides detailed insights into all aspects of pharmacoepidemiology.