OBJECTIVES

Since 2017, French medico-administrative health data platform, the Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS) is open with condition to pharmaceutical companies. Covering 99% of the French population, it gathers claims, hospital-discharge summaries and the national death registry. Our objective was to assess pharmaceutical companies’ use of this real-world data source.

METHODS

A summary file of data access requests submitted to the authorities was analysed. Freely accessible online and regularly updated, it contains key information on each submission file like its research title, its funding healthcare player type, its regulatory progress through data access, or the study sponsor’s name when access is granted.

RESULTS

Since March 2017, the authorities have received 506 requests to access the SNDS medico-administrative databases. 239 (47%) were submitted by private players of which 128 (54%) were by pharmaceutical companies. Access have already been granted to 97 submission files. In 24 studies (25%), the SNDS was linked with medical reports using the unique national identifier. 35% are related to rare diseases while oncology is the most addressed therapeutic area (24%). Care pathways (42%) is the most represented study main outcome. 20 distinct companies sponsored those granted studies. Janssen is the most represented company with 7 studies on therapeutic areas corresponding to their recent product launches in psychiatry and haemato-oncology.

CONCLUSIONS

SNDS provides one of the largest and most comprehensive health database system in the world. The use of these medico-administrative data being now essential for pharmacoeconomic and pharmacoepidemiology, requests for access have increased by 46% per year since SNDS is accessible for pharmaceutical companies. The upcoming integration of the SNDS into a wider Health Data Hub containing medical data will increase its use and enrich the performed analyses.