Discover-NOW - the Hub for Real World Evidence

About Discover-NOW London SDE

• How Discover-NOW London SDE operates

  Since its inception, Discover-NOW has pioneered the use of real-world evidence (RWE) in health research, making it the ideal foundation from which to develop a London-wide secure data environment for research and development. To date, we have supported the approval of almost 300 data access requests, and research informed by Discover-NOW data has translated into over 35 academic publications.

  Discover-NOW is pioneering the use of Real World Evidence in health research. Real World Evidence research is based on health data that is collected in real world settings such as routine appointments and from mobile devices. This data gives a richer insight through allowing researchers to better design and conduct studies about potential treatments and the impact they could have on the health of the population.

  The work of Discover-NOW London SDE  is underpinned by the Five Safes:

  • Safe projects 
  • Safe people 
  • Safe setting 
  • Safe outputs 
  • Safe data 
• Discover-NOW's services

  Discover-NOW London SDE enables research through: 

  • Feasibility studies: Run complex and powerful searches over the rich deidentified linked dataset of 2.5m population to inform protocol design and study feasibility. 
  • Retrospective studies: Generate data driven insights and analysis into populations and cohorts, using the rich linked longitudinal health and care data. 
  • Patient identification and recruitment: Using leading edge tools such as FARSITE and the North West London Research Register to help find and match patients to clinical trials. 
  • Health economic evaluations: Support the evaluation of new products or interventions through analysis of real world evidence 
  • AI and machine learning: Develop and test predictive AI approaches to determine if your technologies are effective and scalable 
  • Health implementation: Ensure learnings from your research can deliver real world impact for patients. 
• How Discover-NOW benefits patients and the public

  Discover-NOW London SDE can only revolutionise the way health information is used to treat and prevent disease in the future with the support and trust of our communities and wider population. Our approach to patient and public involvement and engagement includes: 

  • Empowering individuals to be more involved in research 
  • Involving people with lived experience 
  • Working in partnerships with research charities 
  • Engaging community leaders and champions 
  • Involving our population through deliberation 

  We are committed and are working in partnership with the public, patients and professionals to understand what additional safeguards and controls need to be in place to ensure trusted access to, and use of, depersonalised data.