Insights Into the Oncology and Allied Digital Health Landscape on the Island of Ireland: Implications for Policy and Practice

OBJECTIVES: The island of Ireland is a key centre for life and health sciences, with significant employment in oncology and allied digital health. Despite this, limited data exists on the landscape of these company sectors, highlighting the need for comprehensive information and strategies to maximise growth potential. We present findings from an analysis of the oncology and allied digital health landscape on the island of Ireland.

METHODS: The search aimed to identify all oncology and allied digital health companies and the wider ecosystem across the island of Ireland using 14 different directories. This comprehensive approach led to the compilation of two databases for Northern Ireland (NI) and Ireland (IE), filtered to include relevant companies while also identifying oncology support ecosystems (oncology hospitals, academic and research centres, and cancer charities).

RESULTS: A total of 172 companies were identified, with Northern Ireland (NI) hosting 38 and Ireland (IE) hosting 134 entities. Analysis by company size revealed a dominance of larger companies in IE and micro-enterprises in NI. The wider ecosystem comprised hospitals, research centres, academic institutions, and research charities, with IE exhibiting a higher concentration of research centres supported by Science Foundation Ireland. Geolocation analysis revealed clustering of companies around major cities, particularly in proximity to academic centres. Spin-out companies from universities displayed a higher propensity for scaling up in NI compared to IE. The distribution of products and services varied, with NI emphasising diagnostics and IE focusing more on drug manufacturing and digital solutions. Furthermore, the study highlighted a notable presence of multinational companies, particularly from the US, operating in Ireland. Company age analysis indicated a surge in indigenous company growth over the last four decades, attributed to technological advancements.

CONCLUSIONS: These insights provide valuable inputs for policymakers and stakeholders involved in shaping the policy landscape for oncology and digital health in IE and NI.