Generating Real-World Evidence on the Quality Use, Benefits and Safety of Medicines in Australia: History, Challenges and a Roadmap for the Future

Sallie-Anne Pearson, Nicole Pratt, Juliana de Oliveira Costa, Helga Zoega, Tracey-Lea Laba, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Frank M. Sanfilippo, Alice Morgan, Lisa Kalisch Ellett, Claudia Bruno, Erin Kelty, Maarten IJzerman, David B. Preen, Claire M. Vajdic and David Henry
Additional contact information
Sallie-Anne Pearson: Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
Nicole Pratt: Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
Juliana de Oliveira Costa: Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
Helga Zoega: Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
Tracey-Lea Laba: Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
Christopher Etherton-Beer: WA Centre for Health and Ageing, Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
Frank M. Sanfilippo: WA Centre for Health and Ageing, Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
Alice Morgan: Research School of Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
Lisa Kalisch Ellett: Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
Claudia Bruno: Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
Erin Kelty: WA Centre for Health and Ageing, Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
Maarten IJzerman: Centre for Cancer Research and Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3000, Australia
David B. Preen: WA Centre for Health and Ageing, Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
Claire M. Vajdic: Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia
David Henry: Institute for Evidence Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast 4229, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-20

Abstract: Australia spends more than $20 billion annually on medicines, delivering significant health benefits for the population. However, inappropriate prescribing and medicine use also result in harm to individuals and populations, and waste of precious health resources. Medication data linked with other routine collections enable evidence generation in pharmacoepidemiology; the science of quantifying the use, effectiveness and safety of medicines in real-world clinical practice. This review details the history of medicines policy and data access in Australia, the strengths of existing data sources, and the infrastructure and governance enabling and impeding evidence generation in the field. Currently, substantial gaps persist with respect to cohesive, contemporary linked data sources supporting quality use of medicines, effectiveness and safety research; exemplified by Australia’s limited capacity to contribute to the global effort in real-world studies of vaccine and disease-modifying treatments for COVID-19. We propose a roadmap to bolster the discipline, and population health more broadly, underpinned by a distinct capability governing and streamlining access to linked data assets for accredited researchers. Robust real-world evidence generation requires current data roadblocks to be remedied as a matter of urgency to deliver efficient and equitable health care and improve the health and well-being of all Australians.

Keywords: prescribing; quality use of medicines; medication safety; pharmacoepidemiology; medication data; data linkage; health outcomes; real-world data; real-world evidence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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