Observational clinical trials are of growing importance, playing an increasingly complementary role alongside interventional research: the value of observational studies, supported by real world data, is to provide scientifically useful information or, in some cases, comprehensive evidence that can help to orient clinical practice.
Retrospective observational studies, in particular, comprise collection and analysis of data from already existing medical files in hospitals/medical practices – i.e., data concerning clinical testing and/or treatment that has already occurred. The possibility of relatively speedy (and uncostly) data collection for large numbers of patients, over what may even be long periods of observation, is among the distinctive features and chief strengths of this type of research.

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