Cancer is the largest therapy area for commercial researchers, who develop better drugs, devices, and services to support cancer patients worldwide.
The challenge
Life sciences companies often find it challenging to access health data in the UK as the process for accessing the data can be complicated and the data made available is not always ready for analysis.
How we can help
DATA-CAN is giving life sciences companies an opportunity to use their skills and expertise to develop solutions to data challenges in partnership with the NHS and conduct the research needed to develop new treatments.
Our way of working
We are a non-exclusive, national partnership. Life sciences companies do not get privileged access to health data through being a partner in DATA-CAN. Access to NHS data continues to be managed by data custodians (typically NHS trusts, research charities and others) who operate within strict protocols covering appropriate access to data, and respecting patients’ rights to opt out of their data being used for anything else but their direct care.
Who we work with
- IQVIA is one of DATA-CAN’s founding partners. IQVIA’s experience in health data enabled clinical research, real world evidence studies, data curation and analysis supports DATA-CAN objectives in preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. We will welcome other partner organisations as we develop.
- UK Early Triple Negative Breast Cancer study – DATA-CAN is working with Roche Products Ltd, along with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, NHS Lothian and the University of Edinburgh to collect, curate, and analyse historic data from patients with early stage triple negative breast cancer. Read an executive summary of this project here.
- Pilot project of DATA-CAN’s Real-Time Data Network – DATA-CAN is working with Roche Products Ltd on the pilot phase of our Real-time Data Network (RTDN). Collecting and using ‘real-time’ cancer data from the NHS can help health services identify issues and respond to events, such as COVID-19. The pilot project will involve the design of a dashboard to visualise Cancer Alliance data from West Yorkshire and Harrogate and help to provide evidence for the future growth of the RTDN. Read an executive summary of this project here.
- Cancer Surrogate Endpoints Feasibility Project – DATA-CAN is partnering with Janssen, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the Health Economics Unit on a feasibility project to evaluate emerging cancer endpoints (including survival) to measure the effectiveness of cancer medicines, so that patients may access treatments earlier. The focus is initially on two cancers – multiple myeloma and lung cancer, with broader learnings for other cancer types. Click here to view a summary of the project that has been prepared jointly by Janssen, the ABPI and DATA-CAN.
- DATA-CAN has worked with a commercial healthcare research and technology company to coordinate patient, clinical and commercial input to their plans. This project has been reviewed and approved by DATA-CAN patient representatives who also inputted to the work. Read more about our patient and industry partnership here.
- DATA-CAN has been awarded ‘Medical and Educational Goods and Services Grants’ from Janssen and Roche Products Ltd to support the continuation of our work developing real-time datasets. We are very grateful for this rapid and generous support which is aimed to help inform UK cancer services in the recovery from COVID-19. These grants do not give either company preferential access to patient data.
- DATA-CAN is working with the healthcare consulting company CF (Carnall Farrar) on a project to support a pharmaceutical company plan how to work with the NHS to improve cancer patient outcomes in the context of COVID. The project is advisory, leveraging the expertise in DATA-CAN in cancer data, patient engagement, and public-private partnerships. The project does not involve any access to patient data.