by Monique Samuels The use of real-world data (RWD) is growing across the industry and is increasingly encouraged by regulatory agencies worldwide. RWD can provide insights into patient populations, treatment patterns, and outcomes outside of controlled clinical trials. China, with its large and diverse patient population, offers an important opportunity for global evidence… Continue reading Operational Challenges of Conducting RWD Studies in China
Category: Electronic Medical Records
The Expanding Role of Epidemiology in Modern Real-World Data Research
When observational retrospective research began to be used more systematically more than twenty years ago, the real-world data (RWD) landscape was relatively simpler. Not necessarily easier, but simpler. A limited number of large administrative and clinical databases dominated the field. Claims databases, national registries and a handful of electronic medical record (EMR) sources were directing… Continue reading The Expanding Role of Epidemiology in Modern Real-World Data Research
The Hidden Architecture of RWE: When Complete Data Stop Being True Data
Real-world evidence (RWE) is built on the premise that data generated during routine clinical care can reveal how medicines and interventions actually perform outside the environment of controlled trials. Electronic health records (EHRs) and disease registries are often treated as the foundational infrastructure of this approach. To improve data quality, many systems increasingly rely on… Continue reading The Hidden Architecture of RWE: When Complete Data Stop Being True Data
The Swiss Health Data Space: Status, Progress, and Future Direction
Introduction Switzerland has been discussing digital health and data interoperability for many years, but progress has often been slow and fragmented. Health information is distributed across cantonal systems, hospitals, private practices, laboratories, insurers and research institutions, with limited coordination between them. This fragmentation affects not only continuity of care but also the ability to conduct research,… Continue reading The Swiss Health Data Space: Status, Progress, and Future Direction
European Health Data Space (EHDS): Status, Implications for Patients and Doctors
What the EHDS is and why it was established The European Health Data Space (EHDS) is a European Regulation (EU 2025/327) that entered into force in March 2025. It creates a common framework for using electronic health data across the European Union (EU). The main motivation behind the EHDS is the increasing need for… Continue reading European Health Data Space (EHDS): Status, Implications for Patients and Doctors