Real-World Data (RWD)
RWD encompasses a wide range of source types, including medical and pharmacy claims, EHRs, patient registries, wearables and mortality data. The quality, completeness and representativeness of RWD directly determines the strength and credibility of any evidence derived from it. Not all RWD is equal – factors like patient coverage and data curation standards vary significantly across vendors and datasets.
TL;DR
RWD refers to health related data collected outside of clinical trials, capturing patients and their care as it actually occurs. It is the raw material behind real world evidence.
CATEGORY
Life Sciences
WHO IT IMPACTS
Life sciences companies, health economists, outcomes researchers, payers and analytics teams building evidence-based strategies.
RELATED TERMS
DEFINITION
RWD refers to health-related data collected from sources outside of traditional clinical trials – data that captures patients and their care as it actually occurs. RWD is the raw material from which real-world evidence (RWE) is generated.
WHY IT MATTERS
- Spans a wide range of sources, including claims, EHRs, registries, wearables, and mortality data, for a fuller view of patient care
- Quality, completeness, and representativeness directly determine how credible any evidence built from it will be
- Not all RWD is equal, so vendor coverage and data curation standards matter as much as the data itself
- Enables identification and tracking of patient populations, including rare or hard to find cohorts, across their full care journey
Example: A life sciences company evaluating treatment patterns in a rare disease might draw on RWD from linked claims and EHR sources to identify diagnosed patients, characterize their clinical profiles and track how they move through lines of therapy over time.