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Mobilising data to accelerate real-world evidence generation

Published on the 17 November 2023 by Natasha Donnolley
From left to right, Dr Phillip Gould, Ms Anne McKenzie AM, Prof Sallie Pearson, Ms Gayle Milnes, Dr David Gruen AO, A/Prof Bette Liu
From left to right, Dr Phillip Gould, Ms Anne McKenzie AM, Prof Sallie Pearson, Ms Gayle Milnes, Dr David Gruen AO, A/Prof Bette Liu

The NHMRC Medicines Intelligence Centre of Research Excellence (MI-CRE) recently hosted its 3rd annual MI-CRE Research Symposium and Policy Forum. This year’s theme Putting our foot to the floor: Mobilising data to accelerate real-world evidence generation featured presentations and panel discussions with policy-makers, researchers, and consumers. The plenary session: Turbocharging real-world evidence generation for policy-makers: Lessons from Australia’s first national COVID19 vaccine effectiveness study included:

  • Dr David Gruen AO, Australian Statistician, Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Dr Phillip Gould, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Health and Aged Care
  • A/Prof Bette Liu, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, and UNSW
  • Ms Gayle Milnes, National Data Commissioner
  • Ms Anne McKenzie AM, Consumer Engagement Champion

The event was capped off with a special guest presentation by world-renowned pharmacoepidemiologist, Professor Samy Suissa, Distinguished James McGill Professor from McGill University, Canada. His presentation Observational studies of new indications for old drugs: The good, the bad and the ugly addressed the issue of immortal time bias in pharmacoepidemiology and how this can lead to wasted resources funding poorly evidenced RCTs. 

Further information about the Symposium, including abstracts and recordings of the sessions are available on the MI-CRE website.
Australia’s Chief Statistician Dr David Gruen AO presenting on the successful partnerships that produced Australia’s first national COVID19 vaccine effectiveness study
Prof Sallie Pearson launching the MI-CRE Annual Research Symposium and Policy Forum
Prof Samy Suissa at 2023 MI-CRE Symposium
Read more: the recent Australian COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness study published in The Lancet.