RWE 201 – Norway – Real World Data Initiatives

Norway has made significant strides in real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE) initiatives, particularly within the healthcare sector. This is consistent with the global trend of employing RWD and RWE to complement traditional clinical trial data in order to understand the use and potential benefits or risks of a product under actual conditions of use.

[1] The Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD): This database contains information about all prescription drugs dispensed at pharmacies to individual patients in outpatient care in Norway. It does not include drugs dispensed in hospitals or non-prescription drugs. The database is particularly useful for studies on drug utilization, adherence, and safety.

>> Link: https://www.fhi.no/en/he/norpd/norwegian-prescription-database/

[2] The Cancer Registry of Norway: The Cancer Registry is an essential component for cancer research in Norway. It provides a comprehensive picture of cancer incidence in the Norwegian population and is a source of real-world data on cancer.

>> Link: The Cancer Registry of Norway

[3] The Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR): This registry contains data about all patients who receive treatment in the specialist health service in Norway. The registry can be used to create statistics and for research purposes.

>> Link: https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/tema/statistikk-registre-og-rapporter/helsedata-og-helseregistre/norsk-pasientregister-npr

[4] Biobanks: Norway has several biobanks, which store biological samples used for medical research. These biobanks, coupled with health registries, are valuable resources for RWE initiatives.

>> Link: https://www.fhi.no/en/hd/biobanks/

[5] The Cohort of Norway (CONOR): CONOR is a collection of health data and blood samples from 200,000 Norwegians. This collaborative health survey can be used for a wide range of epidemiological studies based on RWD.

>> Link: https://www.fhi.no/en/hs/conor/

[6] Electronic Health Records (EHR): Norway has adopted EHR systems, which can be utilized for RWD extraction, albeit with the appropriate permissions and adhering to privacy regulations.

With databases like the NorPD tracking outpatient prescriptions, the Cancer Registry focusing on cancer incidences, and the Norwegian Patient Registry capturing specialist health services, Norway boasts a broad spectrum of health data. The Cohort of Norway (CONOR) further provides extensive epidemiological data. These initiatives, combined with biobanks and electronic health records, ensure a rich, multidimensional data environment. Such extensive and diverse data repositories enable deep insights into drug utilization, disease patterns, and patient outcomes, making Norway a forerunner in leveraging real-world data for healthcare research and improvements.

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