NHS England (NHSE) and Prostate Cancer Research have joined forces to launch a new data platform that health leaders hope can transform patient care and save lives.
NHSE has selected Prostate Progress as the first ‘driver project’ for its Data for Research and Development Programme, ultimately supporting innovative uses of health data.
Researchers hope to gain insights about prostate cancer patients by combining different sets of data to:
- develop new treatments and tests improve diagnosis;
- monitor the safety of treatments; and
- plan new NHS services.
The data includes patients who agree to participate in the initiative and the data they input themselves. It is estimated that more than 1,000 people have already signed up.
“This unique collaboration with Prostate Cancer Research will provide new insights into prostate cancer and improve care for patients,” said NHSE’s national transformation director, Dr Vin Diwakar.
“The NHS Research Secure Data Environment Network allows us to link data and enable research at a scale not previously possible, while maintaining the highest levels of security.
“Researchers will benefit from the rich picture provided from both NHS clinical data as well as information from patients who volunteer to take part and share their experiences.”
Across the UK, over 52,000 men a year are diagnosed with prostate cancer on average, with more than 12,000 deaths. It is the most common cancer in men with one in eight men diagnosed in their lifetime.
“Prostate Progress puts data back into the hands of the patient, allowing them to record and track the impact of prostate cancer on their day-to-day lives,” added Oliver Kemp, CEO at Prostate Cancer Research.
“Putting patients at the heart of research and bringing the data they contribute together with clinical data will be massively powerful. It will be the key to driving forward scientific discoveries and innovations to deliver tests and treatments that meet patient need.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recently approved a new pill for prostate cancer that could benefit more than 40,000 people.
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