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Roche, Canadian Organizations Launch Real-World Evidence Framework in British Columbia

NEW YORK – Roche Canada on Friday announced it is partnering with BC Cancer and the Canadian Personalized Healthcare Innovation Network, or CPHIN, to launch a framework for generating real-world evidence that can support reimbursement and improve patient access to personalized cancer treatments and molecular diagnostics in British Columbia.

Within the public-private collaboration, called PRecision Oncology Evidence Development in Cancer Treatment, or PREDiCT, the partners aim to generate and assess real-world evidence, and with this data influence the development of new reimbursement pathways for precision oncology therapies.

Currently, provincial authorities in Canada largely rely on cost-effectiveness analysis and clinical trial data in deciding whether to make a medical intervention available to residents. However, biomarker-informed precision oncology drugs are often indicated for rare subpopulations of cancer patients, making traditional analyses difficult. The PREDiCT initiative wants to encourage greater use of real-world evidence in regulatory and reimbursement decisions.

Within the initiative, experts will also gather real-world evidence on the impact of comprehensive genomic testing used to determine the right treatment options for cancer patients. "PREDiCT presents a great opportunity for BC Cancer to upgrade its molecular diagnostic offering to benefit more patients with clinically actionable information," Stephen Yip, a pathologist at BC Cancer and PREDiCT coprincipal investigator, said in a statement. "The improvement to the logistical and technical infrastructure of BC Cancer laboratories will accelerate the wider adoption of advanced genomic profiling in patients."

BC Cancer centers will initially pilot PREDiCT, and CPHIN will invite partners from other provinces to promote learning and broader adoption. The partners are hoping the initiative will eventually influence the creation of a national framework that will facilitate review and access to innovative treatments and tests across diseases.

"PREDiCT has the potential to evolve the way health authorities and policymakers interpret and use real-world evidence in oncology decision making, and potentially increase the number of targeted treatment options available to cancer patients across British Columbia, and eventually Canada," Ronnie Miller, president and CEO of Roche Pharmaceuticals Canada, said in a statement. "In working together with BC Cancer and CPHIN, we can drive sustainable healthcare transformation leading to greater personalized care and better health, at a lower cost, for people and society."