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3. Any variable in an ADaM dataset whose name is the same as an SDTM variable must be a copy of the SDTM variable, and its label, meaning, and values must not be modified. ADaM adheres to a principle of harmonization known as "same name, same meaning, same values." However, to optimize file size, it is permissible that the length of the variables differ (e.g., trailing blanks may be removed). In many cases it makes sense to copy over a variable from an SDTM dataset. For example, the SDTM variable --SEQ may be useful for traceability. However, in other cases, it is also perfectly acceptable, and might be much better, to create an ADaM variable with a meaningful variable name and clear and unambiguous metadata. An SDTM variable may be somewhat meaningless when removed from its SDTM context. For example, the meaning of the SDTM variable DSDECOD may depend on other SDTM variables such as DSCAT and DSSCAT, and ultimately on how the data were collected and mapped to SDTM in a particular study; thus it may be better to create a clearly defined ADaM variable. In any case, whenever values are modified in any way, it is mandatory to do so in an ADaM variable, and it is prohibited to do so in a variable whose name is that of an SDTM variable.

4. When  an an ADaM standard variable name has been defined for a specific concept, the ADaM standard variable name must be used, even if the content of an ADaM variable is a direct copy of the content of an SDTM variable. For example, in the creation of an ADaM dataset based on an SDTM LB dataset, even if AVAL is just a copy of LBSTRESN, the dataset must contain AVAL.

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