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Using Negative Control Outcomes to Detect Selection Bias in Mendelian Randomization Studies

2026-02-01 epidemiology Title + abstract only
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Mendelian randomization is currently mainly implemented through the use of genetic variants as instrumental variables to investigate the causal effect of an exposure on an outcome of interest. Mendelian randomization studies are robust to confounding bias and reverse causation, but they remain susceptible to selection bias; for example, this can happen if the exposure or outcome are associated with selection into the study sample. Negative controls are sometimes used to detect biases (typically ...

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