What CODE does

The Collaboration for Oncology Data in Europe (CODE) is supporting the creation of a large-scale Oncology Data Network that will collate comprehensive, up-to-date data to describe how anti-cancer medicines are actually used in clinical practice. The technology platform has been designed to be able to aggregate data on anti-cancer medicine usage for all forms of cancer, in all patients and for all treatment centres across Europe who wish to join.

The aim is to collaborate with 200 cancer treatment centres in seven European countries in the first three years, scaling potentially to an estimated 2,000 treatment centres across Europe over 10 years.

For the first time, treatment centres joining the Oncology Data Network will be able to explore near real-time, clinically robust, real-world information that will describe how anti-cancer medicines are being used in today’s clinical practice, for which patients groups, and in which combinations and sequences, across Europe.

The members of CODE believe that creating this Oncology Data Network will pave the way for the European oncology community to increase its understanding of today’s clinical practice. Only by understanding how anti-cancer medicines are used will we create the necessary foundation for new approaches to access of innovative therapies, helping to connect treatment innovation to patient benefit and broaden the opportunity for individual patients to receive the therapies that are appropriate for them.

How it works

1 Introduction

Introduce individual treatment centres to CODE, its objectives, planned operation and governance

2 Connection

Treatment centres join the Oncology Data Network by agreeing to contribute their data on the use of anti-cancer medicines in their centre

3 Protection

Ensure high standards of privacy and data protection, information governance and security. All data contributed pass through a highly-secure, multi-stage de-identification process and are aggregated before analyses are released

4 Centre information

Treatment centres that are part of the Oncology Data Network receive the tools for near real-time analysis via the platform to understand their own data and practices

5 Network information

CODE’s Founding Members, members of the Oncology Data Network and members of the wider oncology community (on request), are able to access aggregated analyses once the data have passed through a highly-secure, multi-stage de-identification process

6 Ongoing engagement

Continue to engage with clinicians and decision makers to help treatment centres maximise the value of their involvement with the Oncology Data Network and CODE