Published: 12 February 2018

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Research is holding a breakfast roundtable in Parliament on 27th February 2018 to on the transformative potential of patient data to advance medical research, improve patient care and, ultimately, save lives.

The roundtable will be an opportunity to discuss how the responsible use of patient data has helped progress our understanding of disease and ill-health in many different ways; but, also, why, because this data is often fragmented and not easily shared, there is a pressing need to ensure it can be fully utilised to benefit patient care and research.

Explaining how medical research can harness the enormous power and potential of patient data to transform the nation’s health, the event will bring together perspectives from patients, parliamentarians, NHS officials, medical research charities and funders.

Chair of the APPG on Medical Research, Chris Green MP, commented:

“In order to bring the benefits of the latest medical care to patients, research relies on the use of health information to better understand diseases and conditions. This understanding informs how life-saving treatments can be developed and delivered more effectively.

“The opportunity presented by the unique potential of the NHS, with its cradle-to-grave stock of data, is of enormous value; but to really see an impact on patients across the UK, significant barriers must still be overcome.

“The introduction of the new national opt-out on patient data, as well as the coming implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation, brings forward the need to explain how privacy will be protected and what choices the public will have over their information.

“I look forward to hearing from people with lived experience of what happens if we fail to properly harness patient data, and to welcoming those from across Parliament and beyond who wish to become informed of why it really is a matter of life and death.”

If you would like more information on this event, please email [email protected].