OHDSI: Global Evidence
Standardizing Global Evidence (Dr. Thanga Prabhu)
Section titled “Standardizing Global Evidence (Dr. Thanga Prabhu)”As part of Dr. Prabhu’s broader discussion on interoperability and technical standards, he highlighted the role of OHDSI (Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics) as a cornerstone of the clinical research roadmap.
From OMOP to OHDSI
Section titled “From OMOP to OHDSI”The journey began with the OMOP (Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership), which has now evolved into the international OHDSI (Odyssey) organization.
- Real-World Evidence: OHDSI provides the open-source tools and standardized data models (OMOP Common Data Model) necessary to generate reliable evidence from observational health data across different institutions.
- Standardized Research: By transforming diverse institutional data into a common format, OHDSI enables multi-site research studies without the need to share raw patient records.
- Global Collaboration: Researchers worldwide can run identical analytical queries across their local OHDSI-compliant databases and share only aggregated results.
The OHDSI India Chapter
Section titled “The OHDSI India Chapter”Recently established (2 years old), this chapter is already collaborating on high-level policy questions from the Government and the WHO—for instance, studying the long-term effects of specific drugs on population health metrics like tuberculosis.
- Policy Impact: OHDSI’s standardized approach enables evidence-based policy making by providing consistent, comparable health outcomes data across diverse Indian populations.
- Research Infrastructure: The India chapter is building capacity for observational research that can inform national health programs and regulatory decisions.
- Entrepreneurship Support: The synergy between academic hubs like IIT Bombay (KCDH) and national mission teams creates a blueprint for how technical excellence and public policy can collaborate to support this new wave of health-tech entrepreneurship.
The Data Payers: Ensuring Sustainability
Section titled “The Data Payers: Ensuring Sustainability”A critical realization for startups is identifying who pays for these insights. While hospitals are the custodians, the Insurance, Pharma, and MedTech industries are the primary “payers” for high-quality, anonymized clinical data. This insurance-led model ensures the financial sustainability of the digital mission.
- The Triple Bottom Line: Innovators are encouraged to “do well” (build successful products), “solve the country’s problems,” and “make some money” on the side.
The Support Ecosystem
Section titled “The Support Ecosystem”The synergy between academic hubs like IIT Bombay (KCDH) and national mission teams creates a blueprint for how technical excellence and public policy can collaborate to support this new wave of health-tech entrepreneurship.