ABPI response to UK data strategy

The UK government has published its new draft strategy, Data saves lives: reshaping health and social care with data.

The plan sets out how the government intends to harness the potential of data in health and care, while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and ethics.

In response, Dr Bryan Deane, Director of Data Policy, the ABPI, said:

“Data has been invaluable in our fight against COVID-19 and has been central to the joint work of the NHS and pharmaceutical industry to develop new treatments and vaccines.

“Today’s strategy is a welcome blueprint for a future health and research system that builds on the successes of the pandemic, with high-quality data used in a safe and secure way to benefit patients across the UK.

“Together with the forthcoming Life Sciences Vision, we have a real opportunity to transform Britain into a life sciences superpower, where researchers are able to use health data to discover breakthroughs of the future.”

The data strategy includes key provisions for health and care, as well as research:

• a commitment to maintain trust through consistently high standards of governance, transparency and communication.
• a plan to develop trusted research environments (TREs) – secure spaces where researchers can access sensitive data without breaching privacy – to facilitate data analysis.
• a pledge to empower researchers with the data they need to develop life-changing treatments, models of care and insights.

The ABPI’s 2020 report Unlocking the promise of UK health data sets out the benefits of health data including better outcomes for individual patients; refined patient pathways for efficiency; and enhanced support for developing new treatments.