As part of a series of measures to support the life sciences sector countries, the UK is planning to increase researchers' access to medical patient data and funnel £ 180 million ($ 280 million) to a new fund designed to help transform basic science into marketable treatments, Prime Minister David Cameron announced today. The movements also include £ 50 million ($ 78 million) to a London-based "cell therapy technology and innovation center", and £ 60 million ($ 93 million) to develop the secure system that would allow researchers to access to anonymised patient data from the National Health Service (NHS).
NHS plans to amend its constitution to allow patient data to be open to researchers by default, with an option to opt-out for individuals. The ability to take advantage of NHS data will be a boon for Research UK said Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust. The more patients that are involved in the research, more public interest, it said in a statement, adding that a patient once told him, "give my anonymous data is the most painless thing I can do to help others get better. "
Some have raised privacy concerns about the data access level, which is why the British government will hold a public consultation on the idea before proceeding, but Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor Cambridge University, also applauded the proposal. "Most people believe that information they give their doctor is used to improve health services to all. This is part of the contract within the NHS. Some people are quite horrified when [they] find you are not able to access this information. If you have a condition, I'm not even allowed to look at the database to find what you might be approached about a trial you could benefit from this, "said the former head of the Medical Research Council UK. "I am delighted that he is [Cameron] to start the debate. It is long overdue for us to have this discussion. Maybe the company will decide they do not like. But what you can not have is endless committee after the committee after year committee after year debate the issue and do not put it in the public domain. "
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