Will Python or R replace SAS in clinical domain in coming future ?

[r3570]

Hi All

Will Python and R replace the SAS software and put the jobs for clinical SAS programmers or statistical programmers at risk ??

[fja · Accepted solution]

Hello!

Both, Python and R, have been around for quite a while now ... and have not replaced anything, yet ... but have complemented existing solutions. So my money is on that they won't replace SAS in the future.

SAS is an old trusted war horse, so you are probably on the save side to invest in learning it. And what might be more, statistical programming is a general craft that quite independent from the platform actually used. It is a way of thinking ... and approaching problems posed. 🙂

But of course there will always be new ideas and new tools  in this rapidly changing world ... we have to keep pace with it as well as SAS has to. So, let's do our very best. 🙂

--FJa

[Kurt_Bremser]

You are comparing apples and cucumbers.

Python is a programming language, with which you can do anything programmable, where modules for statistics are available.

R is a modern-day statistics (only!) environment.

SAS, OTOH, is a complete data warehousing framework. It provides metadata storage, access control, (long-time tested and certified) procedures for analysis, and a turing-complete language (DATA step) for ETL and data preparation. Since it's in one big package from one source, you also get exhaustive documentation (and a guarantee for function) from this one source.

Doing ETL (as an example) with R is a major PITA, so you need additional tools there. But you can integrate R into SAS through SAS/IML, which uses the same basic matrix model of data.

Addendum: there is so much SAS out there that SAS knowledge will be required, at least for legacy code.

Just like there is still a need for COBOL and PL/1 / mainframe programmers, even though both have been declared dead for decades.

[novinosrin]

Great explanation @Kurt_Bremser  Thank you. I am kind of interested in finding out the performance differences in tasks that can be done in both i.e. where stuff overlap. Any thoughts?

[Kurt_Bremser]

Maxim 4. Try it.

And always include the time it takes to come to a solution in your calculations. That's where SAS shines, IMHO.

[_Sas_Beginner_]

I agree with you, and I add that java, R, Python, and C can all be used in SAS, and programs can be built with SAS, such as proc proto, which can be programmed in C, proc iml, which can make calls to R packages, proc Python, and so on. I think SAS is really strong! I love this software

[fja]

PROC Python? Don't knw that? Is that different from FCMP? Have you got a pointer for me by chance? ... as I could not spot it in the documentation.
Cheers
fja

edit:

Have it. Here for all other blinds: https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/v_038/proc/p1iycdzbxw2787n178ysea5ghk6l.htm

🙂

[AhmedAl_Attar]

Just as FYI:
PROC Python is a Viya 202x.x only technology.
While PROC FCMP Python Object is a V9.4 (M6+) & Viya 3.5 technology

[fja]

Thank you for mentioning ...