Last week, Breast Cancer Canada had the privilege of participating in the Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA) Symposium 2024, held both in-person at the Ottawa Shaw Centre and virtually. The event, themed “From Disruption to Opportunity: Embracing Change in Health Care,” brought together a diverse group of leaders from policy, industry, health technology assessment, patient advocacy, medicine, public health, and communications.
Our presentation focused on a topic close to our hearts: the critical role of real-world evidence and patient lived experience in the drug approval process in Canada. This subject is not just a matter of policy but one that has a profound impact on the lives of patients navigating the complexities of breast cancer treatment.
Why Real-World Evidence Matters
Real-world evidence (RWE) refers to the data gathered from everyday clinical practice and patient experiences, as opposed to controlled clinical trial settings. Integrating RWE into the drug approval process can provide a more comprehensive understanding of how treatments perform outside the clinical trial environment. It encompasses factors such as:
- Effectiveness in real-life settings: How a drug performs in everyday situations, considering various patient demographics and co-existing conditions.
- Patient experiences and outcomes: Insights into the day-to-day challenges and successes patients face with their treatments.
The Impact of Patient Lived Experience
Patient lived experience offers invaluable insights that can often be overlooked in traditional research. By incorporating these perspectives, we ensure that treatments are not only effective but also align with patients’ quality of life and personal needs. This approach helps to:
- Shape treatment guidelines and policies: Reflecting real-world use and patient feedback.
- Enhance patient satisfaction and adherence: By aligning treatments with patients’ preferences and real-life challenges.
- Inform future research: Providing data that can guide the development of more effective and patient-centered therapies.
Breast Cancer Canada also shared significant strides being made with the PROgress Tracker Breast Cancer Registry.
This pioneering initiative is dedicated to enhancing our understanding of breast cancer through the lens of patient lived experiences. Breast Cancer Canada’s national registry collects Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) data, offering invaluable insights into the diverse journeys of breast cancer patients from across Canada.
PROgress Tracker leverages comprehensive questionnaires to gather data from individuals diagnosed with breast cancer at any stage. Participants share their experiences from diagnosis through treatment and surveillance, completing these questionnaires four times a year. This approach ensures a continuous and detailed collection of information that reflects the real-world challenges and outcomes faced by breast cancer patients.
By compiling this data into a robust database, researchers and clinicians can analyze large-scale population responses, providing a rich resource to identify trends, issues, and areas for improvement from the patient perspective. The ultimate goal is to use these insights to enhance care strategies, inform policy decisions, and improve the overall quality of life for those affected by breast cancer.
A Shared Vision for Change
The CDA Symposium 2024 is a platform for discussing how we can better integrate these insights into our healthcare system. We were inspired by the engagement and thought leadership from across the spectrum of the healthcare community. It is through collaboration and shared vision that we can turn disruptions into opportunities and drive meaningful change in patient care.
