Top HEOR Trends

Real-World Evidence paints a more accurate picture

The world is experiencing an explosion of data, which can be good news for patients. Real-world evidence (RWE) is information collected from various sources and can help demonstrate how medical treatments work in everyday life. Insights from RWE provide many benefits that cannot be derived from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) alone.

A more realistic view

RWE can present a more realistic view of patients and health outcomes in practice by offering insights into real people in the real world. It helps us understand:

• The long-term benefits and risks of treatments 
• How safe and effective treatments are after they are approved 
• How well treatments work for different people in real life

Where does RWE come from?

RWE analyzes data gathered from sources like:

• Electronic health records from doctors' offices and hospitals 
• Patient registries that track specific diseases or treatments 
• Insurance claims and billing information 
• Wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers

Who uses it?

RWE is used by many professionals:

• Doctors and nurses use it to understand how treatments work for their patients in everyday life, including outside the medical setting.
• Pharmacists use it to see how well medicines work and how safe they are when used by real people. 
• Regulatory agencies (like the US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency) use it to make sure medicines and treatments are safe and effective after they are approved and being used by the public.
• Payers (such as government bodies and insurance companies) use it to decide which treatments to cover and how much to pay for them, ensuring they support the best care for their members.
• Health policymakers rely on it to create guidelines and policies that help improve healthcare systems and outcomes for everyone.
• Patient advocacy groups use it to support their efforts in improving care and access to treatments for patients.