
303Special Topics
elsewhere (Matloff 2011). One major advantage of building a DES in R is the
extensive statistical toolbox that is available for direct access from the model,
without having to call any external routines. This is especially helpful when
building models which are dependent on statistical analyses for decisions
during the run (e.g., when simulating a randomized clinical trial with interim
data analyses).
R is widely accepted by HTA agencies and is extensively used and taught
in universities. It is an object-oriented software and exible enough to use
for DES, although it is not meant for this application per se. It is designed to ...