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The Use of Git in Statistical Programming

The Use of Git in Statistical Programming

Oct 01, 2025

Project Scope

What features are most beneficial to stat programming? What are the benefits of Git?

There is interest across the pharmaceutical industry in using Git for statistical programming. Some companies have already incorporated Git, or are attempting to, and there are common challenges being faced. In these cases, the introduction of Git has increased the complexity of a statistical programmer’s tasks, which has led to challenges in uptake and to taking advantage of the benefits Git offers. This is an important challenge to overcome for increasing efficiency of operations. The purpose of this Working Group project is to provide the industry with tools and guidance for addressing and overcoming this common challenge.

Project LeadsEmail
Eleanor Sparling, GSKeleanor.x.sparling@gsk.com
Kieran Martin, Novartiskieran.martin@novartis.com
Alex Pearce, PHUSE Project Assistant 

alexandra@phuse.global

CURRENT STATUS (Updated Quarterly) 

  • Blog Post Development: Multiple blog topics have been proposed and are in progress, covering areas such as commit message best practices, Git workflows, branching strategies, and common mistakes.
  • White Paper Foundation: The accumulated blog content will underpin a future white paper, aiming to consolidate best practices​
  • Conference Preparation: An abstract for the US PHUSE Connect has been submitted ​
  • Training & Change Management: Discussions are ongoing about how members started their Git journeys, what resources were helpful, and how to promote adoption among colleagues

  • PHUSE US Connect presentation preparation​

  • White Paper first outlines

Objectives & Deliverables

Timelines

1. Principles for using Git and example workflow(s) in context of the current QC process

2. PHUSE white paper on Git for statistical programming, to cover:

  • The case for Git
  • Challenges in using Git
  • Current QC process
  • Using Git for audit trails
  • How Git can work with the current QC process
  • How Git is typically used outside of statistical programming and why
  • What the QC process could look like when using the benefits of a typical Git framework
  • Regulators’ point of view

3. Core education on Git for statistical programmers

4. Soft proposal for an alternative QC process using Git features

TBC